Patients put the art in Cartwheels project
Bringing art and health together, our volunteers have teamed up with a dedicated project officer to deliver the Cartwheels art project at St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital.
15 Feb 2017
15 February 2017
Project Officer, Karen Morgan is leading a team of seven volunteers to deliver art sessions to patients across the hospital.
“Art is a fantastic medium for individuals to express and enjoy themselves and can be incredibly therapeutic” said Karen.
“In a health setting, this is very beneficial, with some patients mentioning that they’ve had a break from thinking about their pain and their spirits are lifted. Patients are excited that the program invites them to join in without any artistic experience.”
As part of the Cartwheels project, the team take an art trolley around the hospital and invite patients to join them at a central location, such as the dining room.
Patients can experience a range of art mediums, from crafts, painting and textiles.
“One gentleman was in rehabilitation following a stroke. He was coming to terms with the fact that physically, he had undergone significant changes.
“His fine motor skills had been affected by his stroke and he was having trouble with the delicate lines required.
“We worked together to adapt, and he ended up concentrating on working with pastel. This allowed him to make a mark and use his hand instead of a brush to work the colour.
“The impact of this was significant. It showed him he could still achieve things, just in different ways. He also mentioned that he had picked up a new skill that he could take home with him.”
Kerrie James, Coordinator of Volunteer Services for St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital, says the project is proving popular amongst patients.
“We want to provide the highest quality holistic care for patients in our hospital, and we are acting on recognised studies that validate the positive impact of art on health and wellbeing.
“We believe that this program will improve clinical outcomes for patients.
“Incredibly talented volunteers have joined us to share their skills which allow us to build the Cartwheels project, offering five sessions a week around the hospital. The whole Cartwheels program reflects our values and commitment to patient wellbeing as a hospital.”