Hearing from our residents about the impact of the SALA program

Carmelite Residential Care residents recently joined Rory McClaren on ABC Radio Adelaide to talk about their experience during this year’s Southern Cross Care SALA program.

The program, called Face to Face, brought school students into our Residential Care homes to meet with residents, as well as meeting with our ICreate clients, and to connect in a meaningful way through art workshops.

Resident and artist Caroline Treloar told Rory the program was completely unexpected - in the best way possible.

“It was wonderful, it was a complete surprise because I’d been involved in SALA some years ago through my work but I thought it was just fantastic to actually have the school students come in and work with us in Carmelite and get to know them as well as have them do the artwork,” Caroline said.

When the student revealed their artwork to Caroline she was also pleasantly surprised.

“I thought ‘isn’t that fabulous, that that’s how a young person sees me. It made me feel really good,” she said.

Lib Healy, another resident and artist, told the ABC that her student was “just a delight”.

“I really loved seeing my student,” she said.

“As an ex teacher of junior school children I really do miss the many many children that I used to have, I do hope they continue to visit.”

Southern Cross Care’s SALA and Arts Manager Leah Badger said seeing the interactions unfold in real time between students and residents was such a wonderful experience for everyone.

“It was amazing to see the barriers break down between students looking at our residents and ICreate members as more than just older people; they’re seeing them as human beings and really connecting with their stories,” she said.

“What stood out to me was how they listened and reflected that in their artwork. 

“I think that was the most powerful thing - to see that this new generation is out there, they’re curious, they’re caring and they’re listening.”

The program included 330 students and over 250 aged care residents and community based ICreate members.

Leah said, “I think the sheer scale of it is what actually provides the impact because when you see all these faces on display at the Migration Museum it’s a celebration of joy between the generations and what the students have taken from this and heard about our residents stories and our ICreate members and then put into their artwork - it is truly heartwarming.”

To listen to the full radio interview or see other information about the program, visit our SALA page.