Aged care residents across Beaudesert and beyond are heading into the new year with a little something special thanks to the local Adopt a Grandparent initiative.
Adopt a Grandparent, founded by Canungra woman Kelly Casey and her daughter Charlotte Flynn-Grant in 2018, delivered more than 1100 gifts to Scenic Rim, Brisbane and Gold Coast residents before Christmas.
Locally, gifts were delivered to Whiddon Beaudesert Star, Wongaburra Aged Care, Roslyn Lodge on Tamborine Mountain and Signature Jimboomba Community Aged Care.
Gifts included homemade pillows, mobile phone bags, fragranced hand creams, body soaps, hankies, crocheted and knitted socks, chocolates, wheelie walker bags and sensory busy blankets for people who have fidgety hands.
Wongaburra resident Coral Bischoff was delighted to receive a handmade bag to go over her wheelie walker.
Mrs Bischoff, 88, has lived locally since 1950 and in Wongaburra for about two years.
“This initiative is absolutely marvellous because so many people don’t get visitors and don’t get out, and that’s what I feel so sad about,” she said.
“I have family that look after me very well, but some residents have family who are quite a distance away and can’t be here. It’s very hard for them.”
Kelly, who works for Bendigo Bank in Beaudesert and Canungra by day, said it was a huge community effort to gather and distribute so many gifts.
“I’ve had lots of friends helping this year and the local businesses are really supportive, including providing drop off points – it couldn’t happen without them,” she said.
She said the idea came about because of her own grandparents.
“When my grandparents were in a nursing home, I found other residents gravitated to us and I realised they had no one else there, visiting them,” she said.
“When they started asking us little favours like popping down to the shops and getting things for them, we realised there was a need for something more than a nursing home and all their carers who do a wonderful job, to do those little extra things.”
Adopt a Grandparent also distributes gifts for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/Adoptagrandparents/
