Keeping everyone connected during challenging times

As a little surprise, over the weekend, residents’ families received an unexpected SMS or email with a message from their loved one.

“We understand how difficult it must be for residents and families not to be able to see each other in person while we have tight visitor restrictions in place,” Mercy Place Warrnambool Service Manager Helen Paris said.

“We hope these lovely photos and messages put an extra smile on our family members’ faces and provide some additional comfort that their loved ones are happy, engaged and in good hands. Importantly, the messages also let families know that they are always in their loved one’s thoughts.”

Resident Mary Mason wanted to tell her family how much she missed them, while Beverley Greaves reassured her loved ones that she was keeping busy and they were not to worry. Jack Jones, who turned 100 today, instead had a message for the broader community. The centenarian, who for all but two weeks of the past century has lived in Warrnambool, sent a warm message to everyone in metropolitan Melbourne: ‘Sending our love to you all from country Victoria’.

The Mercy Place Warrnambool Lifestyle team has been working hard to keep residents engaged and active while visitor restrictions and physical distancing measures have been in place. Activities have included virtual armchair travel, talking books, daily activity trolley room visits with kiosk items, quiz sheets and the occasional surprise trolley visits with ice-creams, hot chocolates and other treats.

This week, every Victorian Mercy Place residential aged care home received an additional tablet, courtesy of the Mercy Health Foundation’s Help Us Fight Appeal. The extra tablets will to help increase communications between residents and loved ones during these difficult times.