Upper Mt Gravatt residents recently made friends with fluffy newborns and had a wonderful time! Thanks to Henny Penny Hatching, the Residence delighted in a chick hatching program so much that the TV got neglected!
“We started with 12 eggs that were just about ready to hatch,” said Dayani Ranasinghe from the Lifestyle Team.
“Instead of watching the television, the residents were locked into what was going on in the brooding pen. First came a ‘peck hole’, then a beak poked through, before a tiny chick gradually emerged and kicked itself free from the shell,” she added.
Residents waited patiently until the last egg hatched. Once hatched, the chicks were transferred into a separate cage.
The two-week program was much more than a cuteness eggs-travaganza. It also provided opportunities for nurturing, prompting residents to recall fond memories of their youth. The program is popular with schools and aged care residences as it is an interactive activity that is therapeutic, even for those who may be bed-ridden.
“We’ve seen our TriCare family really embrace this activity. It generated discussion, interaction, [and] a sense of anticipation. We’ll certainly be looking to do it again, it’s a wonderful well-being exercise,” Dayani said.
Kerri Marshall, a 79-year-old Upper Mount Gravatt resident, just loved checking in on the chicks and watching them explore the new world they found themselves in.
“During the program, I spent a lot of time in the sitting room, not just watching the chicks, but my fellow residents and visitors,” Kerri said.
“I saw the delight on their faces as they saw the eggs cracking. They got to cuddle the little ones and were so gentle with them.”
The Henny Penny program showed staff how to safely hold the chicks so they can teach residents. It was fantastic for everyone to feel the sensory enjoyment of connecting with the feathered babies.
Learn more about the Upper Mt Gravatt Aged Care Residence.
