BOOKED OUT
FOR 2024
BOOKED OUT
FOR 2024
Welcome to Puppets Alive. Our heart and our aim is to bring fun, engaging and affordable entertainment and activities to our valued elders in aged care services in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. Through puppet performances incorporating live singing of well known age-appropriate songs, fun-loving characters, and hands on activities with puppets that most residents are able to engage with, Puppets Alive brings joy, laughter and a sense of achievement to each resident.
With over 25 years experience in puppetry, 30 years in facilitating groups of all ages and having worked in pastoral care in a full time role in a Melbourne aged care service, Stephen is well equipped to make your puppet experience come alive. Stephen has also completed the University of Tasmania Wicking Dementia Centre's online course, Understanding Dementia which, along with his aged care experience, enhances the interactions with all residents, but particularly with those experiencing dementia.
We look forward to helping shape a puppet experience for your residents that will be enjoyable, affordable and memorable. To find out more or to discuss the possibilities fill in the contact details form at the end of the page.
Stephen Petering
Puppets Alive is committed to making our world a better place. With our particular focus on enhancing the daily experience of our valued elders living in aged care, we are acutely aware of the impact of all types of dementia on the individual, as well as on their family and friends. We believe that enabling more research and enhancing support services is vital in making the world a better place for all those who suffer from the effects of dementia. Puppets Alive has therefore made a commitment to support Dementia Australia financially by donating $5.00 from every performance or activity and $2.50 from each one on one therapy session. If you would like to make a contribution to Dementia Australia's work as an individual then click on the Dementia Australia logo on the left and donate direct.
Thank you for partnering with us in making the world a better place for those living with dementia and their families.
CONTACT
Inquiries
For any inquiries, quotes or bookings, please call Stephen on 0429 417 036 or fill out the form below.
TESTIMONIALS
We had the puppet show in our MCU area and all the residents were sitting quietly watching the whole time. For a performance to keep them entertained for so long with them happily sitting there is awesome.
Sue - Lifestyle Coordinator
Our residents at our aged care home were extremely grateful for the performance from Puppets Alive with Stephen. Our residents thoroughly enjoyed the whole afternoon which was filled with lots of singing, laughs and interactions with the puppets. I would highly recommend Puppets Alive as I can just not fault the whole performance and Stephen was great to communicate with. I would also just like to add that Stephen stayed around after the show to talk and interact with all of our residents. It was a great day.
Olivia - Lifestyle Team Member
"What a wonderful idea."
Aged Care Quality Assessor on seeing our Hands On Puppet Experience
The value this show provided was honestly priceless, residents of all cognition levels had an amazing time. I would say that no amount of money can buy the smiles and laughs that came from our residents. We will be getting them back.
Nicole - Lifestyle Coordinator
It is an activity (Hands On Puppets Experience) for everyone. We had people with Dementia and also cognitive people and they usually have separate activity's but with Stephen and his puppets they were all engaged and they are still talking about the experience a week later.
Corinne - Leisure & Lifestyle Coordinator
What a spectacular show!! The joy that the residents benefit from the puppet show was priceless.
Sharon - Lifestyle Coordinator
The whole experience connected with the clients at a whole other level than our normal booked entertainment. The use of puppetry to sing and tell a story was not just entertaining but also nurtured and supported connections with people living with dementia. The residents were left with feelings of pride and joy as they laughed through the creative experience of building their own puppets within the workshop. I was imagining scissors, paper and paint within this session and thought we would struggle to engage the residents but it was the total opposite. The material used was attached to the already made puppets via velcro and the residents were given an array of facial features and clothes to choose from as they formed their own professional looking puppets. It was easy with no mess and a lot of fun not just for the residents but staff as well. It meant that our residents with dementia where able to get involved as empowering them with choice was the only assistance they required from us. The residents were left with a photograph that the facilitator took and impressively printed out immediately. This also brought fantastic happy feedback from family members throughout the following week as they were able to discuss the day with their loved ones.
Marc - Lifestyle Team Member
It was like the puppets were real people, you instantly connected to them, it was humorous, fun, interesting and the musical side of it was wonderfully entertaining as was all the spoken dialogue. Wonderful for residents to also have photos taken with the puppets after the show that saw 1:1 interactions.
Robyn - Lifestyle Coordinator
Puppets Alive is engaging and fun with characters that suit the specific audience. The sensory workshop brought out the creative and playful side of our residents, who were soon laughing together and getting into character.
Melissa - Lifestyle Officer
FAQ's
What program experience would you recommend for our residents?
We recommend a day program that begins with a 30 minute performance prior to lunch with individual interactions post performance. The performance then gives context for and encourages the residents to actively engage in the hands-on puppets experience that runs between 60-90 minutes after lunch. This day program also allows opportunity for the flexible one to one dementia experience to occur with those with moderate to advanced dementia or residents who are isolated in their rooms, between the morning and afternoon programs.
What abilities or capacities do residents need to take part in the 'Hands-on puppet experience'?
The hands-on puppet experience is designed for both residents with physical challenges and those with mild to moderate dementia. This is not a puppet making craft activity. The puppets are made from a Velcro friendly material so that features such as eyes, noses and hair pieces are easily attached to the head and face. This means that most residents with be able to participate. Those residents with mild to moderate dementia also find the experience enjoyable as they simply have choices to try before them and can be encouraged by the facilitator, staff, volunteers or family assisting in those choices. Making this experience dementia-friendly was a key goal for Puppets Alive. For further insight into the appropriateness of our program for your service please refer to the comments in the first testimonial.
Are the residents able to keep their 'Hands-on Experience' puppet?
No, as the puppets are of professional-quality build and are required for the next group of participants. Each participant will receive a postcard size photo of themselves with the puppet character they create on the day to remind them of their hands-on puppet experience.
What will our chosen experience cost?
At Puppets Alive our aim is to make the experiences as affordable as possible for a stretched activities and entertainment budget. The good news is that Puppets Alive gives you both entertainment and hands on activity in our one day program at a very competitive price. The individual programs we offer have costs noted above. We would like to shape your puppet experience to best suit your needs so price may vary, but to give you an idea of the cost our recommended day program mentioned in the first question would be $405. To date 100% of the aged care services who have engaged us have stated that Puppets Alive is 'excellent' value for money. Please contact us to discuss your individual service's needs.
Do the Puppets Alive team have the appropriate National Police Record Checks?
Yes, the whole team have current National Police Record Checks. We also have Working With Children cards. If you would like to sight these please let us know and we will send a PDF copy to you or you can sight the originals upon our arrival at your service.