Residents of Fair Oaks Nursing Home in Jamestown spent the week in recreational and social activities as National Nursing Home Week took center stage, according to Carol Newcom, activities director at the facility.

The event honors both residents and staff in nursing facilities nationwide and Fair Oaks always has a busy week of events and activities for their residents. The year’s theme is Nurturing a Love that Lasts.

The week-long event kicked off on Mother’s Day as nearly 300 people showed up for the Mother’s Day reception, Newcom said.

“This week is just wonderful,” Newcom said. “The patients are justs ecstatic and have been looking forward to this week for some time now.”

She said the families of the patients are very much appreciated at this time of year, a time when they become more involved at the facility.

“They really get involved with us,” she said.

“We just love it because we so how happy it makes our patients and that is the good part we get out of all of it.”

Newcom said that this week is a special time that the residents and and their families can come together and create unforgettable memories.

“When our patients are happy and are having a good time it makes us feel like we’ve really done a good job,” she said.

While Newcom said the facility has events and activities for the residents daily, this week has an added appeal.

“This is a week where we try to do different things and special things,” she said. “We try to change it around and make it more exciting.”

She said many of the residents look forward to this week the entire year, as many events unfold that they can participate in.

Following Sunday’s Mother’s Day reception, many of the residents participated in a balloon lift-off to officially get the week started on Monday. Judge-Executive Mickey Garner also signed a proclamation on Monday morning at the facility, signifying the week as Nursing Home Week in Russell County.

On Tuesday, another large crowd gathered for Family Night and an ice cream social outside the building.

“We were worried about the weather but it turned out to be perfect,” Newcom said.

Live gospel music by The Higginbothams was featured.

Wednesday was 1950’s dress up day as well as a pizza party and Thursday was the annual employee picnic. Friday was the resident hamburger and hotdog cookout.

Nursing home officials said all events were well attended and enjoyed by both residents, staff and the families of nursing home patients.