Ianthe Tucker worked as a seamstress for many years but when the 76-year-old recently took up a quilting project at the Lorraine Rest Home in Warwick it proved a happy challenge.She was one of 28 of the home’s clients who have taken quilting lessons over the last several months.There is a 30-year age range between the clients all are between their 60s and 90s.“It was a challenge going back to sewing,” said Mrs Tucker.“By the time I got involved with it I was wondering if I was doing the right thing. My memory is not good, but I really enjoy sewing. It wasn’t hard for me to put myself into it.”Lorraine Rest Home administrator Lauren Grant said even though their residents were elderly, many with Alzheimers, it was still important that their minds were challenged.“A volunteer called me and asked if she could teach some of the residents to quilt,” said activities co-ordinator Paulette Smith.“I was sceptical at first. I thought they wouldn’t be able to manage it, but once we showed them how to do it, sewing came back to a lot of them. The volunteer came twice a week, and the residents really anticipated her visits.”Anslie’s Interior Decorating Ltd donated the fabric to make the quilts.Men as well as women took part in the quilting classes. Victor Parris, a retired baker and carpenter, said it was fun.“I did some sewing when I was much younger,” Mr Parris said. “My mother showed me how. They asked if we wanted to do the quilting and I said ‘yes’. I liked the different colours and patterns. I found it very interesting.”Eula Hill, 91, said she enjoyed trying something new.“At my age, I thought it was something I had never seen done before,” she said. “I was eager to try it when I saw the volunteers demonstrating.”She said one challenge was her eyesight. She wears glasses so she had to struggle a bit to thread the needle, but she still found the activity fun and engaging.“I do look forward to doing it,” she said. “I am looking to see how I can get more done.”Mrs Grant said the Lorraine Rest Home provides a full scale of activities to keep their old folks stimulated and happy.“We wanted to provide a social and leisure activity that enhanced and maintained the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual function of our people.”She said there are also other activities offered such as music, church groups, arts and crafts, exercise and self-massage.“These activities help to maintain confidence and self-esteem,” said Mrs Grant.“They stimulate conversation. It also motivates reminiscing of the past and reactivates the thinking process.“It is very important for people in a rest home to be stimulated. I believe in active aging. Most people think of a rest home as a place where people sit around all day and watch television and do nothing.“Even some folks who can’t really manage in a group, can still do activities. We can do one-on-one with them in their room. It can be massaging their hands. It can be the simplest activity. It is very important.”The rest home is hoping to display the quilts at the home and also at a church fair, to show the community what can be accomplished by older people. Mrs Grant said one of their objectives was to encourage more volunteers and visitors to spend more time at the rest home.