Technology is breaking the age barrier
A powerful learning experience involving rest home residents and high school students brought some students to tears and prompted one dementia patient to speak for the first time in a long time.
About 40 Forest View High School Year 10 technology students spent term two creating items for residents at Victoria Place Care.
They made bird houses, nerve tester games, puzzles, colouring in and activity books, and pot plant hangers.
These were presented to residents at the end of the term, along with a special meal.
The school’s digital department head Teresa Walker said the project was a way of encouraging interaction between young and old.
The project was more about witnessing real life results than gaining marks.
Teacher Kevin Haines said it was a moving experience seeing the reactions of students and residents.
‘‘I was blown away by how the students interacted with the residents and how moved they were,’’ he said.
‘‘Some of the kids went into the dementia ward and there was a gentleman in there who they were talking with which the nurse said was the first time they had heard him talk. That’s how dynamic the interaction was and some of the kids even cried they were so moved.’’
Walker said the students spent
‘‘I was blown away by how the students interacted with the residents and how moved they were.’’ Kevin Haines
up to two hours talking with the residents to get ideas.
‘‘Some of them were not used to talking to older people so to start with they were not sure how to approach them but by the end they learnt they had to be close and loud,’’ she laughed.
Haines said the students were incredible.
Victoria Place Care business manager Dawn Lewis said she couldn’t thank Forest View enough.
‘‘It means so much to our people. They get so excited on the days youngsters come in, you can really feel it,’’ she said.
Clinical manager Evelina Erika said the residents were already looking forward to the school’s next visit.
‘‘When they go they always say they were lovely but the skirts are getting a lot shorter,’’ she laughed.