WAILUA — John Selvitella of Foster City, Calif., was hypnotized by the scene before him Tuesday at Lydgate Park. “This is amazing,” he said. “I was watching with my kids. There is a lot of laughter and smiling faces. It’s
WAILUA — John Selvitella of Foster City, Calif., was hypnotized by the scene before him Tuesday at Lydgate Park.
“This is amazing,” he said. “I was watching with my kids. There is a lot of laughter and smiling faces. It’s just a lot of good karma.”
Selvitella succumbed to the scene and came over to offer his help with the Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital long-term care unit that was enjoying one of two scheduled beach days at Lydgate Park.
“I couldn’t help it, I just wanted to help but didn’t know who to ask,” Selvitella said.
Josie Pablo, the recreational activities head for the unit, said the first beach outing of the summer involved a lot more family help joining the volunteering of 28 first-year nursing students from Kaua‘i Community College, the Kaua‘i Bus and the staff from the different areas of the hospital.
Elaine Morita, a therapist at Mahelona, said more than 40 patients are transported to the beach, although some choose to just enjoy the atmosphere from the Main Pavilion and others watch the water, sheltered from the hot sun by the shade of the small trees growing around the tidal pool.
Robert Saito of Kona on the Big Island said one of the patients is his wife’s grandmother and their annual visits always coincides with the beach outings.
“This is amazing,” Saito said. “My aunt used to work at Mahelona and did a lot of volunteering before she passed away. Coming to an event like this is a good way to reconnect.”
The beach outings that started more than 20 years ago has grown to become an international event, the second outing usually getting help from visiting Okinawa Christian College of Nursing students coordinated through KCC and the KCC Nursing program.
“I don’t know about this year,” said Brian Yamamoto, a KCC coordinator for exchange students. “They are still talking, and if they do come, it’ll be a smaller-than-usual group since Shar Ono, the KCC nursing director, went to visit they want to send some people.”
Karen Davis, Mahelona’s administrator, visited the outing, noting that witnessing an event like the outing gives purpose to the work they do. Pablo said Davis is the first administrator in more than 20 years to actually come to the outing.
“We get help from the maintenance, grounds, physical therapy, nursing, dietary and recreational therapy staffs,” Pablo said. “And with the help of the KCC nursing students, half of them come to the hospital to help dress the patients for the beach and the other half wait at Lydgate to help patients there.”
The second beach outing is scheduled for August, prior to the Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau Fair.
“If you’re going to be old, this is the place to be old,” Selvitella said.
