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Residents Enjoy an Afternoon of Art and Cooking
Posted March 16, 2020
Hale Makua offers many activities for our residents, including ones facilitated by dedicated volunteers and guests. One such individual is artist, Marie Calagna, who has conducted art therapy sessions for our residents for over 15 years. These social and therapeutic activities are beneficial for residents’ mental, physical, and psychosocial well-being. Under current circumstances, we are no longer able to bring in outside volunteers or guests to facilitate resident activities. Fortunately, with the help of our talented staff, we still managed to provide engaging activities for the residents including art therapy and cooking.
Activities Assistant, Youpha Giovannoni, has been conducting art therapy sessions at Hale Makua Kahului for the past two months. Amid the cancellations of volunteer activities, she held a session where she guided residents on how to paint a beautiful portrait of a butterfly landing on a flower. With every stroke of their paintbrush, each resident added their own unique interpretation to the piece they created. They were proud of their artwork, and the experience brought back fond childhood memories for some. Mr. Cua, pictured above, reminisced about a time when he was asked to be in charge of decorations for a school dance because of his artistic talents.
In Wailuku, residents also enjoyed an engaging afternoon with a cooking session lead by Activities Director, Jordan Kahiamoe. At the request of one resident, they prepared a meal of vegetarian fajitas and Spanish rice. The residents took part in the prep work, chopping up bell peppers, onions, and cilantro and measuring rice and other seasonings. As the vegetables roasted in the oven and the rice simmered on the stove, the room began to fill with the mouthwatering aroma of spices blending together. The dish came out perfectly, and the residents savored every bite knowing that they had a hand in making the delicious meal.