Lillian Warfield has no grandparents of her own, so she picked a few substitutes.

“I just talk to them and hug them like I would my own grandparents,” said Warfield, a nurse at Covenant Health and Rehab of Vicksburg, where her three adopted “grandparents” are residents.

Through the nursing home’s Adopt a Grandparent program, the 18-year employee gives special treatment to the three — 100-year-old Madie Smith, 94-year-old Lilian Stevens and 97-year-old Troy Meyers.

“It isn’t so much the gift, but the love and care,” she said. “Letting them know they are loved is the best gift of all.”

The focus of the program is to give individuals and organizations the chance to spend time with and buy small presents for residents who have no family in Vicksburg.

Two of Warfield’s chosen, Smith and Stevens, are roommates.

Sam Mitchell is an adopted grandparent who knows the joys of the program.

“When I need something, I go to them,” Mitchell said of his adoptive family. “We just visit and spend time together. It is a good thing and keeps me from getting bored.”

Covenant’s activities director, Kenny Fraiser, said he is pleased with the results of the program that has seen 35 residents adopted.

“We promote this during the holidays and get a good response,” said Fraiser. “Because of the response we’re hoping to push this into an ongoing, year-round thing.”

Volunteers visit and read, sing, play Bingo, watch movies or just talk with the residents.

“They love new faces,” said Fraiser. “It brings joy to them to have someone come in and share their love.”