Cashmere Home and Cashmere Heights Home are on a journey to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Staff at Enliven’s Johnsonville rest homes have focused on being more sustainable in their day-to-day tasks.
Cashmere Home and Cashmere Heights Home manager Karen Rhind says they are taking small steps with the initiative and making changes where they can.
The first focus was on reducing the number of single-use items in the homes, such as disposable cups and single-use pill dispensers.
Karen said when this initiative was mentioned at one of the rest home’s family meetings, it resulted in the donation of coffee cups to use in the tea and coffee making areas.
The homes have also introduced more recycling initiatives, which Karen says the residents have helped to support.
“The residents come to the front desk specifically to put their newspapers and bottles into the recycling – which is great.
“The full recycling crates are testament to the amount of stuff being saved from the landfill already.”
A group of residents recently joined staff to visit the Wellington SPCA and drop off used newspapers.
Cashmere Home and Cashmere Heights Home recreation team leader Linda Lankshear says they will also collect empty toilet rolls and photocopy paper box lids to deliver to the SPCA.
The homes have also stopped using plastic bin liners where possible and rubbish collection has reduced significantly.
Karen says the homes’ recreation teams have also found ways to reuse items, such as decorating empty glass bottles for use as table decorations for celebrations.
She says their efforts are on-going, with larger goals including reducing the use of papers towels.
Enliven’s Cashmere Home and sister site Cashmere Heights Home, both on Helston Road, Johnsonville, offer rest home and hospital care, including short-term respite and health recovery care. To learn more call directly on 04 477 7067 (Cashmere Home) or 04 4778 9051 (Cashmere Heights Home).
