Blog

Glengarry’s Recreational Activity Officer (RAO), Ben Chard, has been hard at work on a new leisure and lifestyle project aimed at improving residents’ quality of life by reducing individual isolation, empowering residents and staff to take control and facilitate an individualised lifestyle program, and reinvigorating the existing program through increased volunteer participation.

The home recently gathered feedback from staff surveys and resident meetings on ways to improve the current program.

Three New Projects being incorporated into the leisure program at Glengarry include: a fortnightly ‘Food Lovers’ activity which involves residents assisting the RAO in cooking various home-style dishes. This activity also has a sensory element to it with tasting experience sessions of various foods such as types of chocolate, cheeses, fruits, honeys and more.

The second activity is the ‘Reminiscence and Sensory Boxes’ which will be installed in the Elouera Wing. This will be a shelved area with different themed boxes such as the beach, seasons, school, teddy bears, soft textures and more. This will provide not only a sensory experience for residents but also serves a reminiscence purpose and prompts socialisation through conversation. Any donations to support this project are gratefully welcomed.

The final project, “Stories of Me” is an activity where residents’ stories are collected and made into story books which can be used for reminiscence. Families are encouraged to be involved by bringing in pictures and helping out with the production. “Stories of Me” provides an opportunity for staff and other residents to get to know the individual, increasing the quality of person-centred care.