Playgroup

Bupa Bellarine has been implementing the Eden Alternative ™ approach to care and services since late 2003. Part of the Eden approach is to have close and continuing contact with children.

The nursing home is set up to be a welcoming environment for children, by providing a variety of activities, while visiting residents. There is a toy cupboard and a playground, as well as a coloring station, a computer and many pets to visit.

Bupa Bellarine has a great relationship with Moolap Primary School. The residents participate in important school days such as sports day or grand parents’ days and each week of most terms, a group of students visit Newcomb to do special projects with a buddy resident.

At Bupa Bellarine, they believe the close and continuing contact with children could be further developed by introducing a playgroup to the home. With the whole hearted support, assistance and education from Playgroup Victoria and with the assistance of Project Child care workers from the City of greater Geelong, Bupa Bellarine treasures was launched on the 7 December 2006.

Bupa Bellarine treasures consists of a group of first time mums and their babies. Each Thursday they meet at Bupa Bellarine and residents have been able to watch the babies grow into toddlers and also enjoyed their interactions with the mothers. The group brings fun and spontaneity into the home. Everyone remembers the days the babies were given a big tub of red jelly to play with and especially how one of the residents who had never paddled in red jelly before joined in!

Activities associated with playgroup are built into the recreation program to ensure activities have meaningful outcomes.  Examples include residents writing stories about the home or its pets for the babies (and their great grandchildren) and make novelty birthdays cakes to celebrate the birthdays of the babies.

Playgroup evaluation
In an evaluation questionnaire about the playgroup many positive comments were received such as

“everyone gets involved and is notably happier”
“the interactions are magic”
“playgroup brings a lot of love into the home”
“wonderful blending the old with the young, I found my mother initiated conversation whereas previously this had not happened”

Playgroup is a positive experience for the Mums and the babies as well as the residents and improves our ties with the community. The Playgroup mothers have been able to provide their families, friends and work colleagues with positive stories of life in aged care and break down some of the misconceptions.