(Gibson City, IL) The Caring Connections Program at Gibson Area Hospital has begun hosting seniors from the community to participate in activities to address and alleviate loneliness. All community citizens age 65 and over are invited to attend. The activities include Bingo, word games, and a community Christmas party. At the beginning of each event, the program staff including therapist Vicki Angstmann, give a short presentation on the Caring Connections program or other mental health related topic. Each person attending is asked to fill out contact information sheet where attendees can privately mark the box to request a free assessment from a clinical staff member from the Caring Connections program. This has led to at least 1 admission and 2 additional referrals for the program.
