25
January
2019
|
14:59
Australia/Melbourne

Indian residents engaged through cultural activity

When Bupa Sunset Care Home caregivers introduced special Indian cultural activities a few months ago, they never realised the positive impact it would have on residents of Indian descent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The weekly activities have included exercise sessions, authentic Indian cuisine snacks and a Bollywood movie screening. Fifteen residents and their family members attend the activities and said they valued the chance to engage in interests that reminded them of home.

Rajamma Rajamma, who is originally from Lautoka in Fiji, has been in Bupa Sunset Care Home for four years and looks forward to the activities each week.

“I am very grateful that this has started. I get to watch my favourite Hindi movies and I get to speak to others who speak Hindi too. I also have the opportunity to get to know all the staff as well,” Ms Rajamma says.

Pauline Mellor, Bupa Sunset Care Home Manager says it helps that she has caregivers who speak Hindi because the residents who participate in the activities don’t speak any English.

“We keep in mind that a New Zealand care home is completely foreign to people from other countries. These cultural activities create involvement, engagement and a sense of community between the residents. They’ve helped to make our Indian residents feel more comfortable and has them treating our care home as their home,” Ms Mellor says.

The Indian cultural activity sessions have proven so popular that they have now increased to two days a week.