Bakersfield senior living facility receives donated tablets from the community, veterans can keep in touch with families

SINCE THE PANDEMIC.

RESIDENTSHERE AT THE PARKVIEWJULIAN NURSING FACILITY HAD TOWAIT NEARLY A WEEK TO USE THETWO TABLETS AVAILABLE TO HERE ATTHE FACILITY WHICHHELPED THEM CONNECT WITH FRIENDSAND FAMILY.

BUT NOWTHANKS TO COMMUNITY DONATIONS,THEY NOW HAVE MORETHAN 15 OF THEM, AND THE VETERANWHO INITIALLY ASKED FOR THCOMMUNITY'S HELP SAYS- THEY AREBEYOND GRATEFUTO TALK TO OUR FAMILIES AGAINWASLIKE A GOD SENT.JAMES JENKINS, A 45-YEAR-OLDVIETNAM VETERAN WHO CALLS THEPARKVIEW JULIAN NURSINGFACILITY, HOME..

SAYS THAT SINCE23ABCSHARED HIS STORY OF HOW HE,ANDEVERYONE ELSE AT THECOMPLEX ONLY HAD TWO TABLETSWHICH ALLOWED THEM TO TALKWITH LOVED ONES, THINGS HAVECHANGED..17TABLETS WERE DONATED ALONG WITH,A TV , DVDS AND EVEN SOCI WAS SHOCKED I REALLY WAS SORIGHTAWAY WE HAD ENOUGH TO WHERE FOUROF US COULD LINK UP NOW WITHIN ADAY THAT'S MIRACULOUS TO GET ARESPONSE LIKE THATNOW THAT THE VA CONTRACTEDFACILITY HAS MULTIPLE TABLETSIN ROTATION THERE IS NO LONGER A5 DAY WAIT OR 15MINUTE TIME LIMIT WHEN USINGONE.

JENKINS SHARES THAT HE HASEVENBEEN ABLE TO CONNECT WITH NEWVETERANS ONLINE.

HE HASBEEN ABLE TO VIDEO CHAT WITH ABUDDY WHOSE FACE HE HASN'TSEEN IN FIVE YEARS AND HOSTED AVIRTUAL VETERANSMEETING FOR THE FIRST TIME-SINCETHE PANDEMIC BEGANTHE IPADS GET DROPPED OFF ANDIT'S LIKE WE ARE IN OUR LITTLEGROUP AGAINAND THAT'S WHERE WE UNLOAD ANDPTSD IS REAL AND THIS HELPS.SOME OF THE TABLETS DONATED-WERE ANONYMOUSACCORDING TO JENKINS..

BUT 10 OFTHEM WERE DONATED BY TPANAMAS BUENA VISTA SCHOOLDISTRICT AND THREE OTHER BSETH LONG OF MOTOR CITY HERE INBAKERSFIELD- WHO SAYS ONSEEING OUR STORY HE REACHED OUTTO HIS COLLEAGUESAND FAMILY MEMBERS WHO RAISEDENOUGH MONEY TO GIVETHREE IPADS AND CASEI WANTED TO HELP IN ANY WAYPOSSIBLEAND I FELT CALLED TO DO IT ANDIT TOUCHED MY HEART AND I REALLYWANTED TOHELP- AND JUST SEEING MR.JENKINSI JUST REALLY WANTED TO CRY.JENKINS SAYS MANY OF THEVETERANS WERE MOVED TO TEARSTO SEE THEIR FAMILIES ANDFRIENDS-BUT SHARES THAT ITDOES BECOME LONELY FOR MANY OFTHEM AT TIMES- SINCE THEIR INPERSON ACTIVITIES HAVE BEENGREATLY LIMITED BECAUSEOF THE PANDEMIC.SO THE FACILITYIS CREATING A BLOGON FACEBOOK FOR THEM..

WHERETHEY WILL SHARE, PICTURES,VIDEOS AND LETTERS FROM THERESIDENTS..

AND ARE ALWAYSLOOKING FOR PEN PALS.WE ARE SHOCKED THAT WE COULDEVENDO THIS-AND WE HAVE A LOT THATWE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE AND MYPSYCHIATRIST YEARSAGO TOLD ME I SHOULD WRITE ABOUTMY EXPERIENCES AND THAT LED METO WRIPOETRY AND I HOPE TO SHARE SOMEOF THAT ON THE BLOG,..

AND AGAIN IF YOU WOULD TOCONNECT WITH RESIDENTS HEREAT PARKVIEW JULIAN OR WOULD LIKETO DONATE ITEMS BE SURE TOCONTACT THEM AT ADMINISTRATOR@PARKVIEWJULIAN.COM WHICH ISLISTED AT THE BOTTOM OF YOURSCREEN.

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