Retirement Village Residents – Activities and Rituals, through photography
From baking fruit cakes for family and friends, to boating, to playing the ukulele with a new ensemble of musicians, to table tennis and sports afternoons with staff, and mingling with friends at happy hour – how each resident spends their hours reveals much about what gives them joy and a sense of value in later life.
As one explained, ‘“I’m as happy – how does it go?” “I’m happy as a (singing).. I am as happy as a bird in the tree, flying…” – yeah, I love it”’ (P6).
Aged Care Residents – Activities and Rituals, through photography
The ways in which we all spend our days speak to our interests, our desires, our goals and our joys. For those living in residential aged care, the activities, rituals and the time waiting in-between plays a particularly important role in their quality of life.
Whether it is scheduled activities like bingo or group exercises; individual enjoyments like knitting, reading or watching television; or daily rituals like cheese and crackers at 9:00am, the residents tell us the way they spend their time is as important—perhaps even more important—as it has ever been.
