Winter Warmers: Respect Residents Continue to Share the Fun

At Respect, the winter months never dampen our aged care homes’ much-loved social calendars, and our residents wouldn’t have it any other way! 

We know how important a vibrant and engaging calendar of activities and events can be for wellbeing. At each of our homes, dedicated social teams curate a wide range of hobbies and pastimes, get-togethers, and celebrations to inspire participation, promote inclusion, and give our residents an opportunity to connect with each other in a fun and positive way. 

And while winter weather sometimes means we need to change our approach to leisure and lifestyle, it certainly doesn’t stop our residents from staying socially active and enjoying their time together with a variety of regular, fun and memorable activities. 

For example, at Eliza Purton in West Ulverstone, Tasmania, residents made use of a burst of wintery sunshine to take part in a unique art project. Thanks to some water balloons filled with colourful paint, residents and staff (who also wanted to join in on the fun) took turns creating their own abstract pieces, which many agreed would look at home in any modern art gallery! 

In Prospect Vale, our Tyler Village residents have also put recent winter afternoons to great use. Highlights included a visit to the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, where they admired everything from vintage china collections to First Nations displays and exhibits about the people of Launceston. And the good times didn’t stop there, with staff and residents also taking a trip to the Princess Theatre to catch a production of Strictly Ballroom. A great afternoon of singing, music and amazing costumes!  

And what better way to spend a winter’s afternoon that listening to the pitter-patter of rain on the window and relaxing with some calming craft activities? At our Fred French home in Launceston, a special knitting group has been uniting residents, as well as staff. From expert and seasoned knitters to those just starting out and learning a new skill, the group represents a lovely opportunity for residents to engage with one another, build friendships, and practice mindfulness.

Our Derwent Views residents, who are based in Lindisfarne, have also enjoyed a busy few weeks of group activities. Residents and staff enjoyed a scenic bus trip to Richmond to experience the town’s colonial-era charm. Later, the fun continued, with residents coming together to enjoy a much-anticipated high tea event (a regular fixture on the home’s social calendar) as well as a visit from local musician Johnny Wright, who had everyone up and dancing – including staff members Sam and Barbara! 

In Victoria, our Mitchell House community in Morwell also enjoyed a special musical performance, as they welcomed ‘Friends in song’, a local choir group who wowed everyone with their talents. There were plenty of smiles, and of course several singalongs, as our residents escaped the winter weather with a cuppa or two and an afternoon of toe-tapping tunes. 

Across the state, our residents at Baw Baw Views haven’t been letting the frosty mornings impact their daily constitutional! A particularly eager cohort loves regularly starting their day by soaking in the winter surrounds of Moe Botanical Garden. Not only is walking a great way to keep up physical activity but being amongst nature (as well as a friendly dog or two!) is fantastic for mental wellbeing. 

And finally, what better way to while away the winter evenings than with dreams of sunnier days abroad? Our Woodhaven residents at Lockhart, New South Wales, recently let their imaginations guide them to the shores of Fiji, as they enjoyed learning about the local culture through some colourful craft activities and some memorable ‘armchair travel’.