What better way to demonstrate the spirit of the holiday season than to connect those living in memory care facilities with their loved ones? That’s exactly what carpenters union apprentices in Austin, Texas just accomplished!
The Gulf Coast Training Trust Fund’s Austin Coordinator, Bobby Vasquez, was approached by Alzheimer Texas and the KIPP Charter High School with a request to help them bring to life a design that KIPP students created: Visitation Stations at memory care facilities.
Patients in memory care facilities are limited to two visitors at a time. The Visitation Station, placed outside the facility, would make it possible for more than two family members to visit them at a time. Vasquez and apprentices from Central South Carpenters’ Local 1266 not only beat the “done by Christmas” requirement by two weeks, but they also added some special touches to the unit as well.
Per the KIPP students’ vision, the Visitation Stations are weather-proof, are CDC compliant with plexiglass, and include an intercom and LED lighting. Vasquez and his apprentice carpenters added Pergo wood flooring and a solid surface countertop. They also built a small ramp so that wheelchair-bound patients can use it as well.
“This was a great hands-on project for our apprentices,” Vasquez said. “We love giving back to the community whenever possible, and we are honored to enable these wonderful people to spend time with their loved ones over the holidays.”
Local news station KXAN did a feature on the project. Check it out: https://www.kxan.com/news/local/hays/high-school-students-help-connect-nursing-home-residents-with-family-members/
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