Richard Sullentrup folds an American flag outside the Missouri Veterans Home in St. James, Mo., during an honor ceremony after a resident passed away. Sullentrup, a Navy veteran and one of the younger residents at the Missouri Veterans Home, fulfills this duty because he has enough energy to perform this task.

Sullentrup sets up bibs in the dining hall at four in the morning at the Missouri Veterans Home in St. James, Mo. Sullentrup is usually the first to wake up and, with nothing else to do, he volunteers to help the nursing staff before they get to work.

Richard Sullentrup gets a bath from nurse Jerri Frillman at the Missouri Veterans Home. Sullentrup suffers from diabetes, heart trouble and emphysema. He depends on the staff at the Missouri Veterans Home for proper care because he has been unable to take care of himself on his own. Nurses give Sullentrup a bath twice a week.

In the late-1970's, Sullentrup nearly died in a car accident. After reconstructive surgery, Sullentrup was given a glass eye. Although the doctors have healed Sullentrup's appearance, the upkeep, including frequent doctor visits that can take up to an entire day, take away from what energy Sullentrup still has.

Sullentrup looks for parts to make a barber pole for a friend at the Wilson Lumber Co. hardware store. Sullentrup usually goes on excursions to downtown St. James when the weather is nice, but still has difficulty maneuvering inside small shops.

Sullentrup jokes with Veterans Home nurse Toni Pilikan, left, while she reads to other residents at the Missouri Veterans Home. Sullentrup usually carries props or wears costumes to make staff members and other residents laugh. "Some don't like my humor at first," Sullentrup said. "Then they see how boring it is here."

A nurse consoles Sullentrup after he learned his daughter would not take him to the Iron Works Festival, a local gathering featuring carnival-type entertainment, and that he would spend the entire week confined to the grounds of the Veterans Home. Although he likes living at the Missouri Veterans Home, it does not replace the freedom of going anywhere whenever he wants.

Sullentrup takes an afternoon nap in his bedroom at the Missouri Veterans Home. Because Sullentrup is one of the more outgoing residents, his daily naps are an opportunity for privacy.