The Caring Place of Hot Springs is a ministry of First United Methodist Church and a group of interfaith volunteers in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

We began in 1992 in the basement rooms of First United Methodist Church with six participants, one paid staff member, and a handful of volunteers four hours a day once a week. Today, things have changed quite a bit:

• We provide services to more than 50 Garland County families four days a week, six hours a day
  
  
• We have our own facility, complete with large activity room, kitchen and dining rooms, library/resource room, a sick room, chapel, art room, offices, and wonderful fenced outdoor patio area. The facility is secure to ensure our participants' safety.
  
  
• We are licensed and regulated by the State of Arkansas

•  We are registered as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation
  
  
• We have a paid staff of five:
  All received background criminal checks before being hired
  All receive training throughout the year to keep updated on the latest information available
  One is a CNA
  Two of our staff members are workshop presenters, including 2009's "Continuum of Care" with the Arkansas Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, and 2008's National Brookdale Conference. This three-day intensive training conference held in Denver, Colorado was for those working with people with dementia in day care facilities throughout the United States.
  
  
• We have more than 70 volunteers
  All hands-on volunteers receive on-going training and certification throughout the year on the latest information available
  
  
• Each semester, we host local nursing students for part of their clinical rotations.
  

 Mission Statement

The mission of The Caring Place is to support participants and their families with the highest quality respite care program, as they deal with the effects of aging and various forms of dementia. The Caring Place serves all persons without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, gender, disability, marital status, or economic means.

Like many non-profit agencies, one of our income sources is through gifts made in memory or honor of someone. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation, we would be happy to talk to you about it.

  My Special Place

Once upon a time among the beautiful hills of Arkansas, there was a small city named Hot Springs. There was also this nice building where very special people gathered four days a week. These special people were always greeted with a smile and sometimes a big hug or a warm hand.

This place was filled with love and loving people. You could sit and chat with your friends about what was going on in the world or travel back in time to places you had never been. You could sip on coffee, punch or hot chocolate while you ate home-made cookies that were made especially for you.

This was a wonderful place where lots of exciting things were happening. There were lots of things to do and enjoy, like art, music, exercise, pets, Master Gardeners, horticulture, poetry, games, movies, crafts, outings, boat rides, prayer and devotionals. You could take walks or relax, and on special occasions, you could go out to lunch with your friends.

This place was different than most of the places I’ve been in my life. There were no expectations of me. I could enjoy just being myself. I was praised not for my greatest accomplishments, but my smallest. I could utilize all the skills that I had left, no matter how large or small. I felt unique. I felt loved. I was special!

There was this great big room that was filled with laughter, balls, balloons and
bubbles. Once it was filled with the wonderful scents of herbs and flowers some nice lady brought for us to enjoy. We made bath salts and took them home to share with our families. With the help of my friends, we made homemade ice cream, pretzels, lemonade and bread. One day we had great big biscuits some kind man gave us. We served them with jam and made butter all by ourselves.

We were mentally and physically stimulated and we always succeeded. One day one of my friends said, “Don’t we have fun?” Another friend said, “I wish I could come here every day.”

In this too-often complicated and sometimes confusing world, it was a nice place to go where I could be with my friends. I can’t remember how to get there or the name of the nice place. Someone who cares for me will have to take me there, but I know this is a place I want to go and spend the day with my friends.

The End

This story is unique because it is true.
You have just experienced a day with us at The Caring Place of Hot Springs.

Written by Lynn Reeves,
Director of The Caring Place

 Come and see us sometime!

It's a lot of fun!