Stoddard County Ambulance to begin its annual “Home for the Holidays” program

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - As the holidays grow closer Stoddard County Ambulance wants to help patients spend more time with their family instead of a care facility.

“Home for the Holidays” is a project with the goal taken patients from nursing homes and other care facilities to home in Stoddard County, Mo.

This service is available for any patient unable to walk and who would like to spend time at home with their family this holiday season.

The 34th annual “Home for the Holidays" will begin on Nov. 28 for Thanksgiving and patients can stay a few hours or even overnight.

This is no charge for this service and anyone interested in the program should contact the activity director of the patient’s nursing home.

All arrangements should be made through the appropriate nursing home, which will then contact our ambulance office to set up the schedule. Please do not contact the ambulance office directly.

The following guidelines will be used for “Home for the Holidays” transports:

Patients transported must be a resident of Stoddard County and be in a nursing home within the county.
Patients will only be transported to a residence within Stoddard County.
Transports will be made from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
All transports will be scheduled on a first come first serve basis, however, some may be delayed due to emergencies.
The family must make arrangements with the nursing home staff. The nursing home staff will then contact the Stoddard County Ambulance District Office. The office will then schedule the time that is closest to what the family would like.
All patients must be in such a condition that they could not go home by any other means than by ambulance, without much difficulty. The staff at each nursing facility will make this determination.

Anyone with questions can contact the program’s office at (573) 624-4528 anytime.