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A care home manager, who suggested children could write letters to her residents, has said she has been amazed by the response to her post, after hundreds of islanders got in touch.
Norma Parkinson, who manages Ridout House Residential Home, said she expected to receive around a dozen letters following her appeal; but at least a couple of hundreds of islanders have contacted her, since she shared a post on the ‘Coronavirus Jersey – Acts of kindness’ page.
The group, which has over 4,500 members, was created by islander Claire O’Connell last Saturday and islanders have been using it to offer each other help and organise the distribution of help-forms to vulnerable islanders and those self-isolating.
Pictured: The post shared by Mrs Parkinson on Facebook.
After hearing the news of schools closure, Ms Parkinson took to the page to suggest they could write letters and draw pictures for the nine residents at Ridout House who currently cannot receive any visits from their families and friends.
“These days our residents receive very few actual letters apart from hospital appointments/birthday/Christmas cards etc anyway, and some don’t receive anything in the post at all!” she wrote in the post.
“I thought it’s a great thing to do for children to keep them occupied,” Mrs Parkinson told Express. “It could be nice if they drew little pictures and write about the things they do to occupy themselves while the schools are closed.”
“It’s the perfect opportunity for the young and the old to come together for something that has gone out of fashion and we all need something to cheer us up.”
Pictured: With schools being closed, Mrs Parkinson thought kids could write to the residents at Ridout House.
The care home manager says she has been overwhelmed by the response to her post. While she expected the care home would receive a dozen letters, she spent over three hours yesterday answering the couple of hundreds of messages sent from islanders wishing to take part.
“I never would have dreamed in a million years of the response I got,” she said. “It has been amazing, just fantastic.
“Apart from the Dog Forum, the ‘Coronavirus Jersey - Acts of Kindness’ it’s my favourite page. It’s the only one I go on. It’s just lovely, it really is. I hope it really brings the community back together again.”
Pictured: "This is a real positive to come out from social media,” Mrs Parkinson said.
“I am always moaning about Facebook and social media and how people spend too much time on it, but this is a real positive to come out from social media,” Mrs Parkinson added.
“We can all connect and feel the community. Even though you cannot be with the community, you can feel the kindness.”
Mrs Parkinson said a new mum offered to paint something and send the residents pictures of her work, while another islander offered to send a box of chocolates to all residents. “How amazing is that?” she commented.
One woman also asked to save the stamps so that they can be sent on to other charities, such as the Leprosy Mission.
Pictured: One of the residents enjoying a beer in the garden.
A few islanders have already sent their own card and Mrs Parkinson said staff will take all precautions to control any potential infection.
“We will probably hold the letters to one side for a while and then maybe twice a week we will do a big activity with them, reading them, taking the stamps out, passing them on,” she explained.
“It will give the staff an uplift as well. It’s just so heart-warming. It’s a lovely thing to do for all children and all homes and everybody who has been isolated.”
Pictured: Residents have been able to enjoy the garden since their home has been on restricted access.
Mrs Parkinson explained that, according to the Government’s advice, visitors have been kept away from the home meaning that residents are not able to see their families, especially their grandchildren.
However, the team is making sure they keep in touch with them using Skype or Facetime. Mrs Parkinson has also been taking a phone into their rooms so they can talk to their families, as well as sending emails and videos about life at Ridout House.
“We are getting here,” she said. “They are all coping well but it’s early days. We have a lovely garden. Every day people go walking down the garden, have a sit, have a chat with staff.”
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