CALVARY St Catherine’s retirement home in Berri has welcomed the local community to send letters, pictures and drawings to lift residents’ spirits during the coronavirus pandemic.
Restrictions on all general visitation to residential aged care facilities and private hospitals have been implemented across the country to protect elderly residents’ health and wellbeing. However, it has also made residents feel more isolated than usual, and that is why St Catherine’s lifestyle co-ordinator Claire Roissetter said it is important the community maintains contact with residents one way or another.
“It is really important because it’s a way for us to keep in contact with the community,” Ms Roissetter said.
“It’s not just us offering that emotional support – other people are thinking of our residents and offering their support as well.”
Ms Roissetter said the aged care facility had already received a couple of letters from children in the community, and the impact it has had on those residents has been “wonderful”.
“It’s great for our residents, (especially as) they are isolated and away from their families,” she said.
“It’s been really great to see our residents be so bright, and excited to send letters back.
“They haven’t stopped talking about it.”
After seeing such an overwhelmingly positive response from residents, Ms Roissetter said staff would be looking to build a box out the front of the nursing home so community members have a way of delivering letters and other items.
“Just a letter to say, ‘Hey, how are you going?’ – they love it,” she said.
“It’s great how the community has gotten together and rallied, and gone ‘Let’s send letters here’ and ‘Let’s get the kids to do this’.
“It’s also a way for families to still be in contact – by writing letters.”
It is currently uncertain if or when the letter box would be built, but for now, any community members who would like to send any letters, pictures or drawings to St Catherine’s residents can contact the facility for more information.