Students at The King’s School capture stories of aged care residents
Teenagers have used the latest technology to help them record and compile biographers of elderly aged care home residents.
Parramatta
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The untold life stories of dozens of elderly people are finally getting their moment in the sun.
Students at The King’s School in North Parramatta are compiling the stories of Arcare aged-home residents into personal memoirs, in a mutually beneficially project called Write Of Passage.
Using Bookform, a technology that helps turn audio into text, the students spend one session a week with residents at the Oatlands aged care home and learn about communication, friendships and giving the elderly a much needed outlet.
Gordon Jackson, 81, used the time to reminisce about his youth in the country.
“It’s such a good thing to do,” Mr Jackson said. “I told him about my rabbit hunting and truck driving.”
Harry Gee, 88, said the time spent with the students gave the teens a chance to understand what it was like to grow old.
“The boys are a credit to the school,” Mr Gee said. “It’s a wonderful chance to give them some aspects of ageing.”
The school’s head of enrichment and extension Kathryn Fraser said the relationships the boys formed was eye opening.
“The (boys) can see how the time spent with the older generation contributes to their academic and character education,” Ms Fraser said.
Arcare spokeswoman Rachel Aquilina said the project had exceeded their expectations.
“The clients are feeling a great sense of continuity, purpose and fulfilment through sharing their life stories and the students are learning about such rich histories, each one truly unique to themselves,’ she said.
At the end of the project, families are presented with a book and audio files.
“Often families say they miss their loved one’s voice after they’ve gone, so this is a cherished extra,” Bookform creator Carey Furze said.