The residents at Seabrae Manor Aged Care Living, together with the Term 4, Visual Art Students of Grace Lutheran College recently teamed up to create a stunning interactive sensory piece of artwork.
The artwork is of two seagulls hovering over a tree branch with a blue floral painted background. It is designed from a mix of different materials.
The painting is the first phase of a 3 stage ‘Sensory Enhancement Project’. The project is designed to encourage senior residents, especially ones with dementia to participate in stimulating activities. These activities are important and encourage self-expression, foster emotional connections with others, stir memories and lessens anxiety. It is these relationships, hobbies and interests that reduce the effects of severe cognitive impairment, leading to a better quality of life.
The artwork is interactive so that residents can feel and touch the different materials and surfaces to stimulate different senses and emotions.
Joyce Stephan of Seabrae Manor Aged Care Living also saw the project as an opportunity to involve the local community and was delighted when the students from Grace Lutheran College were willing to help.
The artwork took 6 weeks to complete and the residents looked forward to the student’s arrival each week to work on it.
Together the visual art students and residents used their artistic skills to paint, sew on buttons which formed the bodies of the birds, created pom poms, glued on feathers to the wings of the birds, shells were placed around the head, and they stuck on strands of wool and ribbon to make the tails. Whilst creating this artwork piece, the students interacted and chatted with residents learning of generational differences, shared stories, had some laughs and helped each other.
An afternoon tea was held at Seabrae Manor Aged Care Living to present the project. The attendees included residents, resident’s family members, students that worked on the artwork and the Grace Lutheran Collage Principle, Ruth Butler. Joyce Stephen spoke about the objective of the project and being thrilled with how it had unfolded. There was a presentation of lovely photos seeing the different generations of students and residents working together and finally there was the unveiling of the stunning artwork much to everyone’s delight.
Ruth Butler was so impressed by the artwork that she organised for the design to be turned into Christmas card for the school.
The residents at Seabrae Manor Aged Care Living look forward to stage 2 of the project and working with the students again.
For further information of Seabrae Manor Aged Care Living, please call Joyce Stephan – Business Development Manager on (07) 3053 3333.
If you like further information on Dementia and Alzheimer’s go to: www.fightdementia.org.au or www.alzheimersonline.org