Tech-Connect Brings Old and New Together at Southern Cross Care (NSW & ACT)

"I’m devastated" were the only words Southern Cross Care (NSW & ACT) resident Pat Hale could speak when she realised that she wouldn’t be able to attend her grandson James’ wedding in Melbourne. "Pat had always been part of family celebrations, so the very thought of missing this special day was just too much to comprehend. It was also another realisation that her connection with family and friends was changing,’" said Beate Steller, Pastoral Care Team Leader at Southern Cross Care (NSW & ACT) Nagle Residential Aged Care.

However, Beate couldn’t just sit back and watch so she developed a programme called Tech-Connect, to provide residents with an opportunity to stay connected with their loved ones and be part of important family events through the use of technology.

As part of this programme, the Pastoral Care team at Nagle offered to bring the wedding to Pat. They suggested using video conferencing for the wedding, and recreate the experience for the whole Nagle community as it happened. Pat’s daughter, employees, and volunteers jumped into action; all thrilled that Pat would be included after all. Pat couldn’t stop smiling as she realised what was happening around her.

The need to connect with family and friends is vital for all people. For the younger generation, connecting through technology is an automatic response, but for older people, it is still a relatively new concept and does not come instinctively or easily. Tech-Connect adapts the use of technology to cater for people with dementia.

Tech-Connect is used across some of the Southern Cross Care (NSW & ACT) homes; like a couple who used video calls to connect regularly to their only son in America, or a resident who was unable to physically connect with her daughter on a regular basis. Though these video calls sessions are usually quite emotional, they are extremely important and helps make the residents feel connected to their loved ones.

In an email after Pat’s grandson’s wedding, her daughter Debbie wrote:

This is a fabulous initiative to implement video conferencing for special events for the residents. I also wanted to thank you for your dedication and commitment to make James and Caitlin’s wedding celebration so special and memorable for Mum. She felt so included and valued throughout the whole experience. It also gave me peace of mind knowing she was so well cared for. Thank you also for the beautiful poster you made up before the event and laminated photos you made up after the event. I don't know how you get through all you do with your busy schedule. What a special person you are Beate, you and your team go above and beyond to make such a difference to Mum's life at such a difficult time for her. Our family has been truly blessed to have such a dedicated and loving Pastoral Care Team to support our Mum and us.