What was meant to be a morning of games between the residents of Rand Aid’s Thembalami Care Centre and Tarentaal Retirement Village ended up instead as a good old chinwag over tea.
Thembalami’s deputy manager Elize Raath explains that this Mandela Day they wanted to share their many blessings with the residents of the retirement village. “We invited them over for a morning of games, tea and cake. Fifteen residents accepted our invitation. They arrived earlier than expected and within a short space of time, were happily chatting to our residents. The plan to play games went out the window as friendships were formed or strengthened.”
Tsakani Shihlomule, Thembalami’s occupation therapist, managed to get a connectivity game going, with people sharing their interests and experiences. “The residents then had to confirm if they shared an interest or went through the same kind of experiences. For example, if one person said, ‘I lost my partner due to illness’, others were given the opportunity to share their stories,” says Elize. “It was wonderfully therapeutic.”
She explains that should a Tarentaal resident no longer be able to live independently, they might choose to move to sister Rand Aid property Thembalami, which provides nursing care. “The event gave Tarentaal residents the chance to catch up with former village neighbours who have moved to Thembalami, and also allowed them to get to know the care centre, which will help remove some of the uncertainty should they have relocate here in the future,” says Elize.
Tsakani Shihlomule, Shirley D’aquino, Sarah Moodley, Imelda du Toit, Margaret McFadden, and Anne Kojetin.
Thembalami resident Jo-anne Wyerman Noble (left), with George Butler and his wife Daphne (right).
Tsakani Shihlomule, Sarah Moodley and Margaret McFadden of Tarentaal village.
