Anastasia (Stacey) Bell took a break from planning a mock horse race, and a fashion parade with her team, to chat about her life as an Activities Coordinator at a retirement village care centre.
Celebrating Canterbury Show Week with the residents at Christchurch’s Burlington Village Care Centre is just one of Stacey’s many responsibilities.
Stacey, who is working towards becoming a qualified Diversional Therapist, is completing an 18-month Apprenticeship in Diversional Therapy with support from work-based training provider, Careerforce.
Diversional Therapy Apprentice, Stacey Bell
She started at the Care Centre 18 months ago and says, “The whole point for me is to make their time here as enjoyable as possible. I work with a strong team helping the residents to build friendships, have fun, and enjoy good moments every day.”
After spending a year at university studying Fine Arts, Stacey then did a stint working with jewellery. She also loves to paint in her spare time, and comments that having a creative flair is certainly proving beneficial in her new role.
When she first started at Burlington, there was a moment when she noticed a man struggling with his watch because his hand had fused open. His watch had been part of his daily routine, and he was frustrated that it no longer fit over his hand.
“Luckily, having worked in a jewellers, as the ‘watch person,’ I could adjust the watch to open just a bit wider. It was such a tiny thing, but it meant so much to him. Those really little moments make all the difference,” says Stacey.
“It’s funny the things you can draw on,” says Stacey.
Stacey’s manager asked her to run monthly art therapy sessions, which she loves. She keeps things unstructured, letting everyone paint whatever they feel like and jumping in to help if needed. They’ve even done portrait sessions where residents draw each other, which she says always ends up being a good giggle for everyone.
Stacey started her Careerforce apprenticeship a year ago and loves how it backs up what feels instinctive to her in her day-to-day work. “I often knew what I wanted to do, but wasn’t sure if I should. The apprenticeship has boosted my confidence and helped me advocate better for residents. I can more easily put into words, why we need to meet that need.”
Stacey is especially grateful to her Careerforce Apprenticeship Advisor, Lori Davis, for her encouragement and support. In her learning assessment on “Supporting people in challenging situations,” Stacey shared with Lori the unforgettable memories she helped create for one of her clients.
Her story captures the extraordinary lengths that people like Stacey will go to in creating wonderful experiences for those they support. Stacey’s client, whose condition made it difficult to move his arms but still very sharp of mind, wanted to play blackjack at a casino to honour a friend. A seemingly simple casino outing, but one that involved careful planning, and creative solutions. Could they take him to the casino? How would he play if he couldn’t move his arms?
“A nod wasn’t enough, we needed the hand gesture,” says Stacey.
“I managed to get permission to be his hands. My client would instruct me with a whisper, and I would do the motion.
“The experience meant everything to him. Not only did he win, but he was able to honour a lost friend and enjoy his day of independence and joy.”
Behind the scenes Stacey had to coordinate transportation, confirm his health status, arrange accessibility, and ensure family and nursing support. Despite all the planning for what was ‘just an afternoon of fun,’ the impact was profound.
“Even later, when he could hear but could no longer speak, we would talk to him about the time he played blackjack, he would perk up and laugh a lot,” says Stacey.
“Those are the moments,” she adds.
“We can get really attached to these people; we really care for them. You build these really great bonds with them. Obviously, it does get very hard when people pass away. We are so fortunate that we get to know these people.”
For more information about the Apprenticeship in Diversional Therapy, contact work-based training provider, Careerforce. Employers may qualify for Apprenticeship Boost funding.
Susan Tattersall