The Enchanted Forest

Untitled Care, which embraces the principles of the Person-Centred Care model, is based on the deep belief that no person is the same as another, that we all have different interests, needs and dreams and that, therefore, individualisation must be the central value of the services that support people.

Autonomy, dignity and personalisation are our principles of care and their application is independent of the cognitive, motor or psychosocial situation of the person. When working with older people who have severe cognitive impairment, which prevents the expression of preferences and wishes in a conventional way, natural supports intervene and will play a significant and fundamental role since they will be used to investigate the person's preferences and wishes. (Source)

The activity that has taken place over the last few weeks in our Fraisoro Centre is along these lines and is told with great affection by our colleague Gabriela Mondragón:

"Months ago, the carers who participate in the Psychogeriatric Unit where part of the 'Etxean Ondo' project promoted by the Basque Government is being developed, began to bring wool and various materials to carry out some new activities. Many women at the Unit have been knitting all their lives, so between the residents and the carers they spontaneously formed a workshop in which the residents taught the carers how to knit.

Weaving and knitting, they found that it was an activity that gave them all peace of mind, concentration and teamwork.

One day, while walking around Donosti, a carer who participates in the project saw the trees on Paseo de Vizcaya (Donostiknit) and thought why not do the same in Fraisoro, as we have plenty of trees and we want to try new things too. In this way, we could carry out an activity with the whole group and enjoy all the steps involved in carrying out the project, from combining colours, to making the wool paintings, to putting them on the trees. She asked all of us who participated in the project and the first question came from a resident: "A blanket for a tree, what for?" The next question came from a man: "I don't know how to knit, but I know how to sew because I was in the army sewing, so what can I do? While some chose the colours, others helped to loosen the skeins, others knitted and others sewed.

In the end, we got the first blanket and it was time to put it on the tree. Some people kept thinking about why we wanted to cover a tree with a blanket and they didn't understand why we did it.....until we put it up and touched it!

This activity is not our invention, it is called 'Yarn bombing' or 'crochet guerrilla' and "was born as an artistic movement about eight years ago in the Netherlands, to demand the use of elements such as wool and to remember that the activity of weaving or crocheting is also youthful. Today it is gaining strength in many cities. It is considered a less invasive form of urban art than graffiti, as it consists of covering the spaces and elements of the city with knitted or crocheted pieces. The aim is to protest in a peaceful way, filling the streets with colour and beauty" (Berta Viteri Ramirez, Storyfi).

Now, not only do people from the 'Etxean Ondo' project participate, but other residents of Fraisoro and their families have also joined the initiative.

Before saying goodbye, I would like to thank Maite G for helping me write this post, and that "when we walk through the park, we will recognise it as something we have participated in, as something that is our own", and Jaione for helping us with the title.

We still have wool to weave and trees to cover, so we are waiting for you in our centre to continue 'enchanting trees'".