Fluffy pancakes were piled up high when residents at Catholic Homes’ Archbishop Goody Hostel in East Perth enjoyed Shrove Tuesday celebrations this week.
Elderly residents helped prepare their own feast, kicking off with a group pancake mixture-making from 9am Tuesday morning.
And, in true Australian style, the bulk pancake batter was cooked outside on the barbeque for residents to enjoy with their morning tea.
Catholic Homes Occupational Therapist Katarina Zubonja said residents had been looking forward to their pancake feast, and were heavily involved in the preparations.
“Our Pancake Day celebrations are part of our Montessori-based approach to care, which focuses on involving residents in meaningful activities within their own community at AGH,” she said.
“It’s about more than just an activity for the sake of doing an activity – it’s about creating enabling environments for our residents. The focus is on the ‘doing’ which enables residents to be as active and independent as possible.
“So, while making pancakes might seem like a simple activity, for our residents it’s a chance to show off their culinary skills, to be engaged and involved in cooking food for themselves and for their fellow residents. And of course they get to eat the end result!”
Catholic Homes Incorporated has been caring for seniors in the West Australian community for more than 40 years, providing a range of high-quality retirement and aged-care facilities.
With a community made up of staff and residents from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds, the not-for-profit organisation operates seven residential aged-care facilities and four independent-living villages in Belmont, Bunbury, Duncraig, East Perth, Guildford, Joondanna and Wilson.