Typical Russian nursing home.

Volunteers pay weekly visits to the elderly in Russia as part of a nursing home outreach. The outreach was originally started by members of the Legion of Mary but is now run by the Caritas department of Most Holy Mother of God Catholic Church.

Volunteers and religious sisters sing and visit with the residents, rub the residents' feet with lotion, and transcribe letters to the residents' children.

Many of the residents cannot be taken out of bed because the nursing homes lack walkers and wheelchairs. Very little medication is available, so the residents must often do without pills that regulate blood pressure or relieve pain. There is no dental care, so most of the residents have lost their teeth. The rooms are filled with flies, and there is only a cold-water faucet available for use in bathing.

The elderly are especially excited to see guests from America visiting—would you consider going on a mission trip to see them?

 

Nursing home residents listen to recorder concert from Deanna, American mission volunteer, during trip in October 2002.

Resident in nursing home in Romanovka.

Nursing home in Russia.