Clue: It was an activity that brought joy to residents of a local group home.
Answer: What is a virtual rec night?
When Michelle Feron and Kristen Rockey, students in the Educational Assistant – Special Needs Support (EA-SNS) program needed to complete their work placements earlier this year, they channelled one of North America’s most popular game shows to do it.
The duo created a virtual version of Jeopardy! for residents of a Bethesda group home after the pandemic prevented them from working with the social agency in person.
But course requirements aside, Feron and Rockey’s efforts helped residents feel connected again with the outside world in a time of hunkering down and limited contact with others.
They did it by forgoing more typical recreational activities, such as playing Bingo, done during in-person placements, and getting to know each resident-contestant personally beforehand instead. The duo studied their likes, favourite music, and everything they enjoyed to make the online experience as personable as being together in real life.
“With what we learn at Niagara College, it’s all about person-centric care and organizing activities to meet as many needs as possible,” Rockey said. “We knew they’d be excited about it because it was things they were interested in.”
And they were.
Feron and Rockey were required to spend only 45 minutes with residents. Instead, they spent about three hours playing Jeopardy! with a half-time dance party thrown in to change things up.
There was no mistaking the joy participants felt while spending time online with the NC students.
“Getting background (information) on them really helped us gauge what they like,” Feron said. “They loved it and we loved it when they were answering their own questions. They hadn’t had a lot of visitors in many months so it was great to see how they loved it.”
Feron and Rockey also hosted another session in the weeks following in which residents painted plant pots with images of the four seasons and seeded them with basil and thyme.
Bethesda group home residents paint plant pots during a virtual rec session with Niagara College students.
“They were so excited to see us again,” Rockey said. “That was so heartwarming. I wish we could have done more.”
Still, their efforts impressed Bethesda staff, noted Shelley Mercer, Bethesda’s director of adult services.
“The staff felt the activity ran very well,” Mercer said. “The Niagara College students accommodated the likes and abilities of the people participating. (The participants) loved the song choices and the dance party.”
What Feron, Rockey and their classmates completing virtual placements elsewhere accomplished speaks to how well students adapted to the situation they faced, explained Amie Huisman, program field placement officer. They also did it with sensitivity for the needs of the people with which they worked.
“Once you got past that anxiety about how you can’t do what you normally do and it opened the floodgate of being innovative and creative, it was awesome,” Huisman said. “It was such a great experience, but all of us, we had to get past that barrier of ‘What are we going to do?'”
Experiences like that with Bethesda cemented for Feron where she’d like to take her career when she graduates.
“Now that I’m into it, I want to work with older adults,” she said.
As for Rockey, it also affirms her choice of studies and career.
“You don’t get into this kind of industry without enjoying people and wanting to make their day,” she said. “As a support person, you want to help people. If you see them having a good time, it’s not ‘Bye, we’re done.’ It makes such a difference in their lives, even if it doesn’t take much effort on our part.”
