Missing your dad? Adopt a dad for a day, Father’s Day

SOUTHERN UTAH — While Father’s Day is a day to celebrate your own dad, it’s also an opportunity to give service to those dads who need a friend on this day set apart to honor fathers. And what better way to redirect sentiments of missing one’s own father who may not be nearby for whatever reason than offering a little attention to another “father” that, too, is separated from family.

For many dads who are in assisted living or retirement homes, brightening up their Father’s Day doesn’t take much work, Chad Szymanski, owner of two Beehive Homes in St. George, said.

Just go and visit them,” he said.

Visits can take many forms, Szymanski said, from playing board games to reading scriptures to those who can’t see the words.

While some of the residents aren’t as open to visits from strangers, there are some who welcome the visits, as they sometimes get lonely, Szymanski said.

Helping with group activities can be another way to help, Hurricane Health and Rehabilitation Assistant Director of Nursing Tyler McLemore said.

Individuals and groups, McLemore said, often come in to sing, help during meals and play Bingo with the residents at the center. In the past, he said, people have even brought in therapy dogs for the residents to play with.

Most fathers at the Beehive Homes and Hurricane Health and Rehabilitation do get visits on Father’s Day, the men said, but there are usually some who are left out.

For some, their loved ones just live too far away for a visit, while others are estranged from their families. For those, especially, visits from volunteers can brighten up their day.

Like on most holidays, there is an influx of visitors on Father’s Day, though it doesn’t have the biggest turnout.

“Mothers are definitely more special than fathers it seems like,” McLemore said, “because Mother’s Day is a lot bigger and more people.”

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