Uniting Care Mayflower Village, Gerringong NSW

Diversional therapy program

The Diversional Therapy department provides specialist services to all residents at Mayflower Village. This includes the nursing home, hostel and dementia specific unit.

The Diversional Therapy department established a program of interlinking projects designed to achieve the following:

• Increase the diversity of the life experiences for all residents of Mayflower Village. 
• Cater for not only the needs of residents but also their wishes, hopes and dreams. 
•  Draw Mayflower into the community and the community into Mayflower. 
•  Increase the time that staff spent with each resident.
  

Just two examples of these projects were:

1. Some residents spoke about their wish to make their Debut at a Debutante Ball. Many could not fulfil this dream when they were young due to the war, the depression or lack of money. We made this wish come true for 12 of our residents and they are still talking about the night. The Debutante Ball received television coverage on two occasions.

2. We found due to budget restraints, we were restricted in what we could do, so we decided to conduct some fundraising. The activity had to be resident focused so after discussion with the residents we decided to hold a fete. The profit from the fete over the past three years has grown each year with a total of $19,600 being raised from this year’s fete.

The community was very involved, the residents made items for the fete, made the show bags, filled all of the 350 show bags, worked on the stalls, sold the raffle tickets and then after the event, decided what to spend the money on. This activity led to the revamping of the courtyard and now there are many more family barbeques, with residents and staff enjoying the sun. The problem of Vitamin D deficiency has improved and the sheer enjoyment by residents is wonderful. Staff have somewhere nice to sit with the residents, have lunch outside, walk and talk.

This project has also given residents a sense of future as they continue to prepare for the next fete. We had a lovely write up in the local paper which helps improve communication between the wider community and the Village.