Rotary Club of Beenleigh is proud to have partnered with four local nursing homes, to help in providing residents with enriching activities.

Article by PE Rachelle Mulraney, Public Image Director, RC of Beenleigh

As we all well know by now, the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic has stretched far and wide but has been particularly hard on our community aged care centres and services. The Rotary Club of Beenleigh is proud to have partnered with four local nursing homes, to help in providing residents and centre lifestyle coordinators with enriching activities.

Members of the Rotary Club of Beenleigh banded together to prepare specialised tubs, packed to the brim with activities such as puzzles, colouring books, pencils, magazines, books, and games to help in reducing anxiety and feelings of isolation that ensued from the many lockdowns. These tubs were aptly named “Active in Aged Care” tubs. The Active in Aged Care program continued to grow, when members came across a Bocchetta Plush Toys, who produce lifelike replica cats and dogs of various breeds and sizes to act as Companion Pets for the elderly.

Through a successful funding application from a Rotary District 9620 Rotary Foundation District Grant, the Rotary Club of Beenleigh were able to purchase a plethora of these beautiful pets for a lifetime of cuddles and to help provide residents comfort that helps bring back memories of a pet. The Bocchetta Plush pets are washable toys, made from recycled plastics that become more like a lifelike animal companion.

The Rotary Club of Beenleigh volunteers who were privileged to attend the handover of the pets to aged care homes were so moved to be able work closely with each facility to deliver these to the identified residents that could benefit from reducing stress, anxiety, and loneliness. As residents selected their ‘pets’ and learnt that they were theirs to keep free of charge, as a gift from Rotary, they were so delighted and overjoyed with their choice.

Post-delivery, and reports continue to roll in from the involved nursing homes about the difference the pets have made to the liveliness of their facilities, with overwhelming positive feedback of anecdotes with residents being seen patting, brushing, and talking to their pets, and even sometimes hiding them certain areas to give support staff a good laugh. Pets have worked well to further bring together staff and residents, with everyone getting involved in playing games with the pets and addressing them as they enter resident rooms. The impact on the aged care residents has been marked and has exceeded the expectation of the Lifestyle Coordinators and members of the Rotary Club of Beenleigh.