By Kerry Anderson
When COVID-19 struck, Rotary Castlemaine was keen to help alleviate community stress, particularly following Castlemaine Health’s decision to lock down its residential care facilities to protect its 143 residents. After consulting with senior staff, Rotary Castlemaine launched its Pen Pal Project, inviting community members to write to residents without expectation of a reply.
The project’s aim was to keep aged care residents connected with the community during this uncertain time. As the project progressed, it became apparent that there were benefits for everyone involved.
Initially, all residents received a hand-written card from Rotary Castlemaine to say we were thinking of them. Subsequently, 95 people from our community and 68 students from the local schools were allocated a resident with whom to correspond, and the letters began to flow. When pen pals started posting photos on social media of themselves with their cards and letters, even more pen pals were attracted to participate from all over Australia.
Staff at Castlemaine Health immediately noticed a positive impact on the residents, one associate nurse commenting on the residents’ delight when receiving letters.
“I thought it was really lovely that people went to the bother of writing to us,” said one resident.
On the other side of the fence, it was both challenging and an uncertain process at times because many residents didn’t respond. Writers wondered whether their letters were welcomed or of interest. However, feedback from the care homes about the difference the project was making to the mood of residents helped spur us on. The following is a letter recently received:
“You don’t know me but you’ve written to my Mum as part of the Rotary penpal program this year. The purpose of this card is two-fold – 1) to say thankyou for doing so, and 2) to let you know my lovely mum died on (date) – so, so peacefully after a week-long illness. Mum was a vivacious, cheeky extrovert who loved throwing parties, her garden (esp rhodies, camellias, orchids & azaleas), her cats, beautiful things & looking a million bucks. She was particularly taken with that lovely red card you sent her. This year has been terrible in terms of spending time with her – months of not being able to see her at all and other months of very limited visits (in terms of frequency & length) – if it hadn’t been so, I would’ve had the time to write back to you under Mum’s direction. Sorry. But thank you for giving her a little sunshine. She really is at peace now.”
Overall, the Pen Pal Project has been great community collaboration. The primary school wants to continue its relationship with Rotary. Thank you cards and boxes of chocolates sent to all staff at Castlemaine Health and to all school teachers in the shire to acknowledge their work have continued the goodwill. These small well-received gestures have raised the profile of Castlemaine Rotary through great publicity.
Anyone interested in a copy of the guidelines developed for this project, please contact Kerry Anderson via secretary@RotaryCastlemaine.org.au.