Pupils create rehab games for elderly hospital patients

Cardboard, pipe cleaners and a dash of creativity were all 11-year-old Shahyem Samir needed to invent Fishing Brawl, a game where elderly patients race to hook the most paper fishes in a minute.

- Gabrielle Chan

"I wanted to create a game where patients can compete and practise their coordination," said Shahyem, who first interacted with seniors when he was in kindergarten and remembered how they liked such games.

He is one of 16 art club pupils from Princess Elizabeth Primary School who recently teamed up with Jurong Community Hospital (JCH) and eco-artists to design a series of rehabilitation games.

The lineup features ring toss, memory challenges, a wrecking ball game to knock down objects, and a magnetic rod to guide coloured balls through a maze.

Of the 15 games the pupils trialled, three were chosen to be refined for regular use at the hospital.

Working closely with occupational therapists, the Primary 5 pupils tailored the games to improve motor skills, coordination and cognitive function.

Two engagement sessions at JCH with 20 elderly patients turned the hospital into a buzzing playground, as patients tried out all 15 games and gave their feedback.

Ms Lilian Lim, head of occupational therapy at JCH, said the patients enjoyed the variety of the games. “In terms of the rehab process, sometimes it can be a bit mundane, and our patients have to do repeated exercises and activities such that they can regain their function,” she said.