'Bucket list' goal drives aged care facility to get creative

What one thing would you do if you could have a single item on your bucket list?

SINGING SENSATION: Residents and staff at the Tabeel Aged Care Facility soak in the barbershop sounds at one of their special "bucket list” events. Picture: Contributed

WHAT one thing would you do if you could have a single item on your bucket list?

That is the question Tabeel Aged Care residents are asked as part of a new system at the facility aiming to help make dreams come true.

Every week, two residents are asked to consider the question, then staff set about trying to make it a reality for the group.

On Wednesday, the dining room filled with merrymakers and the sounds of a barbershop quartet.

To an onlooker, the sight may have suggested a special occasion but the festivities were just one facet of a bigger picture.

Creative Lifestyle Coordinator Juanah McKay said the facility had a system in place to make sure even the quietest residents had their voices heard.

"Each week, the residents get to choose and they tell us something special to them on their bucket list,” Mrs McKay said.

"We ask two per week, just to make sure nobody misses out.”

Earlier in the year, the Lockyer Antique Motor Association visited the residents at Tabeel, bringing their fleet of classic cars.

"We have about five residents who were ex-club members and part of their request was to bring them in,” Mrs McKay said.

She said plenty of country music singers were requested but the barbershop-style was a new one.

"We've now had a few who said they'd like to hear something different so we decided to make an event out of it,” she said.

"We also got someone who's dying to go fishing - so we thought we would do a group and take everyone fishing.”

Unexpected ideas have been put forward, proving the best way to find out what someone wants is to just ask.

"We have some who want to go milking,” she said.

"And I know there's a dairy farm nearby so I'm going to go knocking on the door.”

She said the bucket list ideas were generally made into activities for a number of residents to enjoy.

"It's one person's idea but sometimes there's a few guys there who want to do it,” she said.