‘Heart of how we connect’: storytelling connects residents and future health workforce

Aged-care facility Bolton Clarke has partnered with Australian universities to launch a new program to inspire the future aged-care workforce through an innovative storytelling program.

Storytelling in Health and Aged Care, Research and Education – known as SHARE – uses various storytelling projects, such as intergenerational digital storytelling, to connect students and residents and foster intergenerational relationships.

SHARE's lead researcher Dr Xanthe Golenko said the program aims to improve residents' well-being, reduce loneliness, and increase social connection.

"Current training for the future health workforce offers few opportunities to gain experience working in aged-care settings," Dr Golenko said.

"Storytelling really allows students to get to know the person – it helps to develop empathy and compassion, and students also build confidence in being in an aged care setting and learn to communicate effectively with older people."

Georgina Johnstone, research officer at Bolton Clarke, said the program's core value of storytelling is vital for students and residents.

"Stories are at the heart of how we, as human beings, connect, communicate, and think," Ms Johnstone said.

"Life story work is a biographical, reminiscence approach to recalling and capturing moments from a person's life through a series of conversations; capturing a person's life experiences and learnings and values through stories as they remember and reflect on their life."

Intergenerational programs have been reported to be psychologically and socially beneficial for those involved.

Government data revealed that over half of older people living in residential aged care showed signs of depression.

Intergenerational programs, such as SHARE, may help to counter negative mental health effects, with research showing promising results.

These programs also create a strong opportunity to address ageism.

Ms Johnstone said the intergenerational relationship formed in the program was incredibly powerful in changing students' attitudes.

"Students often told us they started placement only knowing about aged care from the negative portrayals in the media," she told Aged Care Insite.

"By getting to know the older residents, they see them as people, not just a diagnosis or a room number."

"These positive experiences increase the likelihood that students will consider working with older adults or in aged care after completing their studies."

Students from eight universities in nursing, social work, psychology, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, human services, and community welfare participated in the program.

Social work student Matthew Willmott said his placement was initially daunting, but he grew to love it.

"Our project primarily ran with storytelling circles and a Life Story book," Mr Willmott said.

"I still think about the residents – the conversations we had, and the storied I heard really changed me."

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