New Friends Are Made When EPFM Students Visit Long-Term Care at MGH

Written by admin on 07 April 2013

To avoid crowding and keep the ambience more personal and inviting, the students and patients each split into two groups in the long-term care common rooms. Each group having read their stories and visited with their first group of patients then switch rooms to meet the other 1/2 of the patients. Photos OntarioNewsNorth.com

Students read the stories they wrote for the long-term care patients. Photos OntarioNewsNorth.com

MANITOUWADGE, ON – Monday, March 27th, Grade 2 through 8 students from École Publique Franco-Manitou, accompanied by their Social Sciences Teacher Tina Piquette, visited Long-term care patients at Manitouwadge General Hospital. As part of Language studies, the students had written stories, those in Grade 4-8 in English and the younger students in French, to read to the patients who in turn had prepared a fun song they sang, performed and taught to the kids.

Many of the students had drawn a picture to accompany their literary work and these served as wonderful ice breakers, allowing the patients an opportunity to engage directly, and on a more personal level, with the children. As the young artists shared their images individually with interested patients, it was wonderful to observe as many of the kids, having their work appreciated and their talents recognized by the seniors, immediately stood a little taller and smiled a little wider.

After exchanging stories for song and sharing their artworks with the patients, the students were given gift bags which the patients had prepared with cookies which the kids enjoyed while continuing to socialize with their new friends. As the visit wrapped up, both patients and students expressed their interest in having another visit some time soon.

Mme. Piquette explained how the idea of coming to read to the Long-term care patients had originated “It was the kids that came forward with the idea and I’ve been wanting to make it happen for a long time. Now that we’ve been here and it has gone so well I’d really like to do it again before the end of the year” said Piquette.

Rehabilitation Assistant Carla Richer who is also reponsible for Recreation Therapy for long-term care patients at MGH explained how the visit served the patients “There’s always a huge inter-generational benefit. Most of them have, at some point in their life, had their own children, neices, nefews or grandchildren and so it brings back memories. Most of the long-term care patients basically see the same people day in and day out so it’s nice for them to see some new, smiling faces around.” When asked about the students potentially having the opportunity to return Richer said they would enjoy having them pointing out that the size of the class had been ideal (11 children had partcipated).

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: To avoid crowding and keep the ambience more personal and inviting, the students and patients each split into two groups in the long-term care common rooms. Each group having read their stories and visited with their first group of patients then switch rooms to meet the other 1/2 of the patients. Photos OntarioNewsNorth.com

: The visit was mutually beneficial; for the students, having adults take so much interest in their work is great for self-esteem while for the patients, enjoying the company of new people was very enjoyable. Photos OntarioNewsNorth.com