Sometimes it can be difficult for nursing homes to tease out individual resident’s wants and wishes. Even group activities may not hit the sweet spot.

With that in mind, the Brandon Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, in Roanoke, VA, recently established what it calls the “Star of the Day” program. Modeled after “Make a Wish,” the home chooses one resident at random each month, and lets him or her pick out something that they’d really like to do.

“We have many group activities, but we wanted to also focus on the individuals — their likes, past hobbies and more,” says Activities Director Stephen Davies.

That wish could be anything from a favorite meal to a trip to a local business. Jeanne Donnelly, the most recent Star of the Day, loved to go see plays and musicals when she was younger. Brandon Oaks took her and a friend to see “Gypsy” at the local Showtimers performance theater. After the play, the star gave Donnelly a bouquet of flowers and posed for pictures.

Another resident loved coffee and chocolate, and her family shared that she always had an obsession with hats. The nursing home took her to visit a local coffee roaster, chocolate shop and downtown to pick out a headpiece.

Administrator Esteban Duran-Ballen hope the Roanoke community will support the effort so that it’s sustainable.

“The sky is the limit on how we can grow this program,” Duran-Ballen says. “The challenge for us is to be creative with how we can help facilitate and accommodate their wishes.”