Residents say ‘Cin Cin’ at European coffee group

A weekly European coffee group is bringing residents from countries across Europe together at Glendale aged care.

For an hour and a half every Saturday residents from Italy, Malta, Croatia, Germany, Spain and Argentina living at the Werribee home gather with their families in the dining room for coffee, cake and a chance to connect over their European heritage.

Care Champion Giovanna Grasso says the aim of the group is to bring residents from different areas of the home together and says that when they do it’s like one big happy family. Having shared language and cultural backgrounds means some residents who previously were reluctant to join group events now eagerly look forward to the gathering every week.

“The residents who come love it; they have such a wonderful time. Some of them can speak the same language, and some can’t, but when they come together it’s like one big happy family,” she says.

“Maria, who is 94 and comes from Italy, even waits for me every Saturday to pick her up from her room and hurries me along so she can get to the group.”

Resident Nicola loves the chance to reminisce on his youth in Italy with people from a similar background.

“I look forward to the get together so I can tell my stories of when I was young and show images of Italy to the other residents,” he says.