Cypress Cove residents build a plushie at Primetime

Life at long-term care facilities can often get bogged down in routines.

That’s why many facilities, like Cypress Cove Center in Muscle Shoals, employ an activity coordinator to help plan fun things for residents to do.

Thanks to a partnership with Primetime Merchandise in Tuscumbia, a number of Cypress Cove residents were able to come to the store and help build their own plushie to keep on April 17.

Cypress Cove Activity Coordinator Amy Hill said the owners at Primetime reached out to the center and asked about hosting some residents.

“We are using the stuffed animals as a coping mechanism for our residents,” Hill said. “They love the experience and being able to get out. This is a blessing.”

Owner Sonya Faulkner at Primetime said the initial idea actually came from a customer whose mother had been in a long-term care facility.

“She said it would be a cool idea (to bring some residents here), and I would be willing to sponsor. We decided to sponsor it also,” Faulkner said.

“We coordinated it. I reached out to Amy Hill, the activities director at Cypress Cove. This is kind of a trial. Each of the residents got a plushie and helped build them. They were very excited. They got a T-shirt and a horse.”

Faulkner said it felt “amazing” to be able to work with the residents and see the smiles on their faces when they made their plushies.

“The anticipation of the event for both us and the residents was great,” Faulkner said. “Getting to watch their eyes light up, it was amazing. We were blessed to be a part of it.”

Faulkner said she hopes to host more of these events in the future. She said she has already been in contact with the district nurse over Cypress Cove to potentially schedule more excursions to the store.

Anyone who would like to help sponsor an event is welcome to call 256-394-2332.