BaptistCare video calls bridge miles between loved ones
Video calls have been bringing BaptistCare residents even closer to their loved ones at a time when COVID-19 has been keeping many families apart.
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20 April 2021
News
| Aged Care Homes
82-year-old BaptistCare resident Maureen Butler uses FaceTime on an iPad for online chats with her son, David Butler and his family in Melbourne.
Mrs Butler, who has been a resident at BaptistCare David Buttfield Centre Residential Care in Gwelup since December 2019, has also been using WhatsApp on an iPhone for video chats with her daughter Debby who lives in Williams in the Wheatbelt.
Mr Butler said he was grateful to be spending more time than ever with his mum, thanks to Baptistcare’s increased use of technology to help keep its residents and their families connected during the pandemic.
“Despite Mum’s memory issues it’s just so wonderful to be able to see her and talk to her,” he said.
“Sometimes the conversations might only be about her surroundings and what she remembers of the week. Other times we’ve seen photos of farm animals visiting, and we’ve talked about the experience and how much fun it looks.”
The video catchups are also a chance for Mrs Butler to see and chat with her granddaughters, 13-year-old Charlotte and 10-year-old Gemma.
“The girls have loved taking their Grandma on tours of the house and to meet Baxter the dog,” Mr Butler said.
“With Melbourne in lockdown, they could even show her the cooking they’d done, their home classrooms and schoolwork.”
The team at BaptistCare David Buttfield Centre say Mrs Butler gives them the biggest smile when they walk in with the iPad or the iPhone.
“Helping our residents remain connected to friends, family and their communities is a priority for our team here at BaptistCare”, said Lifestyle Coordinator, Hannah Motamedi.
“It’s wonderful to see how technology has helped Mrs Butler and other residents maintain their most important relationships regardless of distance”.
Although this has been her first experience of video calls, seeing her children and grandchildren has quickly become a weekly highlight.
“I enjoy seeing their faces; I feel connected to them,” Mrs Butler said. “I don’t feel lonely because they are right there, and I get to see them each week. I love that my children and grandchildren are part of my life.”
Technology has been a key focus for BaptistCare during the pandemic as it works hard to find ways to keep residents connected to their families, not only across Australia, but also the rest of the world.
For more information about Residential Care, please follow the link below or contact us on 1300 275 227.