By Ciaron (Year 5) and Wren (Year 6) of Coledale Public School
On September 14th, Wren, Rebecca, Ciaron and Koa went to Coledale Hospital to gift the sensory pillows that we had made specifically for the patients with dementia.
The hospital has mainly patients with dementia, who cannot live at home by themselves.
Dementia means that you can’t remember things the way you used to, but stimulating the senses helps, so we made textured sensory pillows created from our old school uniforms filled with rosemary and lavender, stuffed with old cut-up clothes, with crochet flowers and bells.
The pillows were handmade using a technique called blanket stitch and they will be used to stimulate the patients’ senses and improve their quality of life. We also made flower wreaths from old plastic bottles, cut and painted to make bright colourful flowers. The flower wheels will be placed in the garden for patients to look at and enjoy.
We walked from school to the hospital with our trolley full of flower wreaths. When we arrived we gave the wheels to the Diversional Therapist, Laura, who showed us where they would be placed in the garden.
When we were out in the garden, a group of patients were sitting and playing a game. We got to talk to some of the patients. I felt sad seeing how they can barely remember the people like Laura who are taking care of them.
I hope this Connecting Threads program will help the patients at Coledale Hospital by giving them colourful things to look at when they are in the garden and something soft to hold and fiddle with in their hands.
When I gave the pillows to the hospital I felt happy that I could help the patients.
Connecting Threads program update
By Amy Geddes
Coledale Public School’s Connecting Threads program is going from strength to strength, you might have seen us on TV (Studio 10) or heard us on the radio (ABC Illawarra) but the real success can be measured from how enthusiastic and proud each student is to be involved and the renewed sense of belonging to the community.
We are very grateful to Laura Handley, the Diversional and Recreational Therapist at Coledale Hospital, for coming to the school to give a talk about dementia and for helping to make this all possible! Another huge thanks goes to Colleen Lux whose amazing idea this was in the first place!