Patient Stories
Learn more about the patients and staff behind our palliative care programs.
Kylie's Kitchen
"It's terrific because it helps people return to their usual activities, gets them moving, interacting with other people, building confidence and improving mood which are all recipes for improved health and wellbeing." Sonia Fullerton, Director of Palliative Care.
Kylie’s Kitchen is a weekly cooking class for patients staying at Wantirna Health. Allied Health assistant Kylie and her team help patients bake cakes and biscuits for themselves, other patients and staff. Kylie’s Kitchen allows patients to get their hands ‘dirty’ by rolling biscuit dough, kneading scone mix and simply enjoying pleasant baking aromas.
Highlights of Kylie’s Kitchen include:
- One patient who attended the group had minimal English skills, but the language of cooking is universal and she was effectively able to communicate non-verbally through cooking and thoroughly enjoyed herself.
- A patient’s sister commented that coming to the group was important because of the interaction with others and the involvement in meaningful activity together. Since the patient’s death, the sister commented that this has become a fond memory of their last times together.
- One patient was initially reluctant to attend. She enjoyed the conversation in Kylie’s Kitchen so much that she stayed with other patients in the dining area to eat their lunch together.