Students in the Grade 11/12 culinary class at St. Thomas Aquinas High School brought some Christmas cheer to Pinecrest Home for the Aged by helping residents decorate Christmas cookies.
The cookies were pre-baked by the students so that residents with dementia could decorate them. Grade 12 student John Everson-Corriveau explains why he enjoys visiting with residents at Pinecrest.
"I really enjoy it because some didn't have a choice coming in here. I just hope that if my grandparents ended up in a nursing home people will come and spend time like them like how our class and school normally does," he said.
The initiative is part of the Culinary for Dementia program. Teacher Katie McNulty explains why they decided to take part.
"When they come in to Pinecrest any access they have to food prep is taken from them," she said. "They have no access to kitchens so this is a way for them to touch the food and work with it in a controlled setting. It brings back a little bit of what they've forgotten. Even today making the cookies you could tell they were having difficulty but they remembered in some way that they used to do that."
McNulty says they'll try to return to Pinecrest in January for another visit. She's also looking to join the program earlier next year so students have more opportunities to work with the residents.
"At first I was nervous that the students would be nervous not knowing what to expect, but they're really good. Particularly John. He is so good with them and relaxed, he just chit chats away with them," said McNulty "They're happy to have us here. They ask us questions and we ask them questions. We work with them making the cookies, the students are really at home with this program."