THE new
residents of an aged care home in Glenelg South have quickly established
themselves in the pecking order.
In a South Australian first, the ACH
Group’s Kapara home has introduced HenPower, a program aimed at tackling social
isolation and depression among people living with dementia.
Henny Penny, Chooky Looky, Chicken
Licken and Priscilla have made themselves at home in Kapara’s memory support
unit Rose Cottage since moving in two months ago.
The chooks appear to be relishing
their role in the “creative ageing” program that mixes hen-keeping with arts
activities and visits from local children for a weekly “intergenerational
playgroup”.
The residents and kids make
chicken-themed artworks together, while volunteers have also helped residents
paint and knit pieces for the SALA festival.
Kapara senior manager Lyn Bertram
says the residents love the chooks.
“For many of them, it brings back
memories of their younger days, and they really enjoy handling them and petting
them, feeding and looking after them,” she says.
“This program is about building
relationships through hen-keeping and we are delighted by the positive outcomes
it has already delivered.”
Resident Rhonda Fitzgerald, 92, says:
“Aren’t they gorgeous? You just want to pick them up and cuddle them. The
chickens have brought so much joy to us all.”
Charity Equal Arts launched HenPower
in 2011 in the UK, where it is now used in more than 40 care homes.
HenPower manager Jos
Forester-Melville says the program “gives people a role and responsibility with
the hens” and is “a catalyst for building relationships and exploring
creativity”.
“Bringing creativity into care is a
fantastic way to engage people and aid communication, especially for those
living with dementia,” she says.
The hens, coop and feed needed to
establish the program at Kapara were donated by the PetStock business
SOURCE: Tim Williams, The Advertiser
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