I had been a support worker on the haemodialysis unit for 5 years, and 3 years ago I took over as the housekeeper. I have grown to know all of the patients really well and I had recognised that some were finding the monotony of attending dialysis quite difficult.
“Let’s face it, four hours is a long time for anyone to sit still, but when you have to do this three times every week, attached to a machine, it must challenging!” The reality of this led me to think about what I could do to help the patients pass some time whilst they were dialysing, hence the reason I have introduced some sessions of weekly entertainment.
Once I was settled into my role as housekeeper, I asked my manager if I could arrange a game of bingo for the patients, at that stage I never imagined I’d still be calling bingo for them 2 years later. When it started, I went out and bought a couple of bags of sweets as prizes but once the patients began asking to play bingo regularly, and it became a monthly activity, I knew I couldn’t keep on funding this myself. I asked the patients if they were happy to contribute to the prizes and most were more than happy to bring in sweets and unwanted gift sets. Added to this, to the delight of everyone, one of my friends generously bought us a bingo machine.
Of course, I appreciate that bingo isn’t for everyone, in fact some people can’t stand it, so to keep all things fair, and everyone happy, I also decided to add in a quiz on a monthly basis. I prepare the quiz in my own time by googling a mix of general knowledge questions, 60s music, and tv questions. Then once a month I turn into a quiz master, using a microphone that was also donated, and which helps keep everyone engaged. I ask 20 questions and when it’s time for us to go through the answers I brace myself for what often turns into a debate. It can become very competitive, for a bag of sweets, particularly if I’m not exactly right or haven’t asked a question correctly.
Adding in these few hours of entertainment made me realise how much enjoyment the patients were experiencing, with some asking me “is it bingo today” even if we have already played that week. I’m sure certain individuals would play every session if they could, but I just don’t have time to do that.
Since that first game of bingo, the ‘programme of entertainment’ has continued to develop. I now have a few things up my sleeve. One of our patients made a ‘play your cards right’ board which generates a different type of light-hearted fun.
Also, especially after Christmas, I am given a lot of unwanted gift sets which are donated by patients, their families, and staff. This influx of a high number of prizes is hard to store so in the new year I plan a game of ‘The Price Is Right’. This usually proves to be amusing, generating a lot of laughter, as I play the music from the game show (downloaded from YouTube), whilst walking around the unit with my trolley full of prizes, the patients guess the price of what may essentially have been one of their own unwanted gifts. If time allows, staff try to join the fun too.
Throughout the year we run other events, such as celebrating World Kidney Day and organising fundraisers, with our Easter raffle being a great success this year and demonstrating a great community spirit and just how socially engaged our patients and their families are.
These short blasts of light entertainment take no more than half an hour out of my daily routine each week and I now see it as part of my job. I believe that the effort I make to generate a little fun is very much appreciated by both patients and staff. I also think that those who join in do so because they appreciate the work that I put in to lighten a few hours of their time per month.
