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6<br />
Thursday <strong>December</strong> <strong>14</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
SHARING IS CARING: Homesteadcare Ilam displayed residents' paintings at its friends and family Christmas party; resident Janice painted two teddy<br />
bears hugging and Rodger painted a snowy scene during art therapy lessons.<br />
Art therapy brings joy to care home residents<br />
• From page 1<br />
“Hearing lovely compliments<br />
lifts people’s spirits. It has also<br />
triggered others to think of giving<br />
it a go next year. Many residents<br />
will gift their paintings – just in<br />
time for Christmas.”<br />
The art therapy lessons were<br />
instigated last year by late resident,<br />
Pam, who had met artist and<br />
teacher Olgah Mepham by chance<br />
at a bus stop.<br />
Mepham found herself sharing<br />
a taxi ride with the resident, after<br />
asking Pam if she needed help in a<br />
Subway store at Bush Inn.<br />
Little did she know the brief<br />
encounter would result in her<br />
heading down a new creative<br />
pathway, from teaching high<br />
school students to working with<br />
residents.<br />
Said Mepham: “In <strong>December</strong><br />
2022, I went to visit Pam at<br />
Homesteadcare Ilam and went to<br />
invite her for Christmas lunch. I<br />
noticed someone wearing smart<br />
clothes. I thought he must be<br />
working there and helping the<br />
manager. I didn’t know that he<br />
was the manager himself.”<br />
“I jumped out of the chair<br />
and asked him, do you do some<br />
activity here? A few months later<br />
I received a text message: ‘would<br />
you like to do an art class for the<br />
residents?’”<br />
Nine months on, Mepham<br />
continues to encourage creativity<br />
by giving the residents art therapy<br />
lessons.<br />
Said Mepham: “Even if this is a<br />
very different type of class, I don’t<br />
worry about if there are good<br />
results. The most important thing<br />
is to give them love and attention<br />
and share my gift as an artist with<br />
them.<br />
“It surprised me how we ended<br />
the last nine months with very<br />
good paintings. They look forward<br />
to giving some of their artwork to<br />
their family members as will be a<br />
nice memory for them.”<br />
LAST WEEKS<br />
BEFORE<br />
Christmas<br />
cOME AnD gET yOuR BBQ MEAT<br />
We close Saturday 23rd Dec at 3pm<br />
& reopen Monday 8th Jan 2024<br />
Thank you to everyone who has supported us,<br />
from Brad and the team at Halswell Butchery.<br />
We would like to wish you all a safe and<br />
happy new year.<br />
490 Sparks Rd, Halswell, Christchurch Phone: 03 322 8747<br />
Hours: Monday-Friday 6am-6pm, closed Saturdays & Sundays<br />
Check out our website www.halswellbutchery.co.nz
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