Welcome

 The Foundation paid to have the Ptarmigan Room fireplace converted to propane.  This was to make it easier for staff to have a fire going for residents whether there was an activity going on in that room or if a resident just wanted to sit by the fireplace to enjoy the warmth.  Since the conversion, the Ptarmigan room is a well visited room in the winter months. 

 Creating this path made it possible for residents to easily get around the building whether  walking or using a scooter/wheelchair.  Families can now walk with their loved ones easily as well.  Staff take residents out for walks when the weather is nice just to get them out of the house and get them some fresh air. 

 In  early 2020,  Pioneer Homes in Alaska had to close the Home to any family/volunteers/visitors due to the growing threat of COVID.  Shortly after the building was closed, Pioneer Home staff quickly saw how isolation was affecting the residents.  In response, the Foundation provided  two iPads and for wifi to be installed in the library and Aurora sitting room.  This allowed Fairbanks Pioneer Home staff to set up Skype calls between families/friends and their resident loved ones.  It was very successful and allowed the families to actually “see” that their loved one was doing well.  Those calls were so successful that we decided to keep doing that for family members that live outside Alaska. 

 The Fairbanks Pioneer Home Foundation has been providing funds for our annual train trip to Denali for many, many years.  This outing takes coordinated efforts between the activity department and our food services department.  Residents are prepped for an extended day, as the train takes four hours to get to Denali park, we spend four hours in the park, and then take another four hours getting home.  Although it is a long, tiring day, the residents enjoy this outing very much!  The Foundation pays for the train tickets for residents and the staff to be able to have a really good time.  For some residents, this is their only big outing so we make it extra special for them! 

  The Foundation provided funds so residents could have a dental room here in the Home.  A room was remodeled  such that a dental chair and cabinets could easily fit in the space.  By doing this, residents are able to have their dentist or dental hygienist come to the Home to provide dental services.  This is very helpful so residents don't have to be transported to their dentist during the winter months.  This was also very needed for those residents who saw dentists that were not on the ground floor in buildings that didn’t have elevators.  Another benefit was that staff were available to get residents into the dental chair.  In dental offices in the community there was no one to assist residents into the dental chair if they couldn’t get into it themselves.  We now have two mobile dental hygienists in the community that will come to the Home to see residents on a regular basis. 

 The Fairbanks Pioneer Home staff has been taking residents to the fair on Senior Day for many, many years.  Because it is Senior Day, lunch is provided for seniors at no cost.  Staff accompany residents where they get to wander around the fair and enjoy the use Foundation funds for extras throughout the day. 

Usually held in July, this picnic aims to bring residents and their families together with the staff of the Fairbanks Pioneer Home in a fun, summer event. Held at the Fairbanks Pioneer’s Home, family and friends of all ages get the opportunity to visit their loved ones and interact socially with each other and staff members who care for residents year-round. 

Funding for this event includes food, activities, and supplies during the event.