St Agnes Catholic High School

St Agnes Rooty Hill students at Retirement Home

In Term 2, every Thursday afternoon during ELP, students visit the residents at the Our Lady of Consolation Aged Care Centre.

A new program was developed titled “Bridging the Gaps” that provides an opportunity for St Agnes students to get to know the residents on a weekly basis and to simply spend time together playing card games, xBox tournaments, art and craft or just having a conversation.

Mary Ocampo writes, The OLOC (Our Lady Of Consolation) visits during ELP every Thursday is an amazing experience and opportunity to get involved with the elderly in our community. My first thoughts on getting involved with the elderly was that it wouldn't be really fun or exciting because I thought that we would do activities I wouldn't really enjoy. But now I am looking forward to every Thursday and what it has in store for us. The first time we went over to OLOC I thought that it was a nice, small and cozy centre, but what I didn’t expected that it is actually a huge area with elevators and beautiful scenery. Visiting the OLOC has changed my mindset because before I thought that nursing homes were places that weren't fun at all; a depressing place.

Through this experience, I now see nursing homes as a place to live life and at the same time stay safe. It has also taught me that doing small things can mean a lot to other people.

For example, playing games with the elderly and just having a conversation with them every now and then can really make their day and can also put a smile on their face. I look forward to meeting new residences and clients from the OLOC every Thursday and being able to play games or do arts and crafts with them. I am very grateful to be a part of this wonderful opportunity to interact with the older generation and to learn so much from them.

Bianca Price writes, Having the opportunity to attend Our Lady of Consolation every Thursday during ELP has been an absolute pleasure. When my ELP class were told that we will be attending OLOC every Thursday, I was very excited to be able to spend valuable time with the elderly and learn a little bit about themselves.

When I first visited OLOC my first impressions were how clean the space is and how friendly and welcoming the workers and volunteers are. Prior to visiting the nursing home, I originally thought that a nursing home was a place where the elderly go when they are very ill and eventually spend their last moments at, however it is definitely not the case. Our Lady of Consolation is a place for the elderly to live.

It is an amazing place consolidating many facilities, some being a gym as well as a theatre. Seeing these facilities had really changed my mindset on how I view nursing homes because I now see it as a home for the elderly in which they are very cared for and not isolated from recreational activities they may once enjoyed.

Each week I constantly look forward to each visit because I am able to talk with the elderly whilst making arts and crafts and playing games with them. The smiles that these activities bring upon their faces are beyond priceless. It makes me extremely happy knowing that I am able to brighten up their day and put a smile on their faces.

It has really taught me that all the little things you do for them makes a great difference and it makes me feel proud knowing that I have made a change no matter how little or great the difference is. Attending Our Lady of Consolation is an amazing experience and I am honoured to have been given such an amazing opportunity because it is not everyday that we are granted with opportunities like this.