Cat and art therapy for stroke patients
The Straits Times|October 27, 2024
Over four weeks in September, Madam Mahani Abdul Shariff, 60, dabbled in art jamming and interacted with cats as part of her stroke rehabilitation.
Cat and art therapy for stroke patients

She was one of four stroke survivors from Stroke Support Station (S3) participating in a pilot Kit-Fit programme organised by the stroke-focused community rehabilitation and wellness agency and Wildflower Studio, an art jamming space and rescue cat cafe at Enabling Village. Each weekly session lasted 90 minutes.

Madam Mahani had suffered symptoms similar to a stroke after brain surgery complications led to bleeding in the brain in 2023. She struggled to regain her strength and speech after the episode, but after a year with S3, she is more independent and has more confidence, says her daughter Farhana Khanafee, 34, a community manager in the interior design industry.

"We had a family cat who passed away a few years ago. Being able to pet and interact with the cats brought back so many fond memories. Painting a bag during the art jamming session also reminded her that she is still able to find joy in the little things despite all that she's been through," Ms Farhana adds.

This story is from the October 27, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the October 27, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE STRAITS TIMESView All
Percival Everett wins US National Book Award for fiction
The Straits Times

Percival Everett wins US National Book Award for fiction

American author Percival Everett won the US National Book Award for fiction on Nov 20 for his novel James, a propulsive and slyly funny retelling of American writer Mark Twain's Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn (1884) from the perspective of Huck's companion, an enslaved man named James.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Actor Jussie Smollett's conviction for staged attack overturned
The Straits Times

Actor Jussie Smollett's conviction for staged attack overturned

American actor Jussie Smollett's conviction for fabricating a racist and homophobic hate crime in Chicago in 2019 was overturned on Nov 21 on due process grounds.

time-read
1 min  |
November 23, 2024
K-pop CD output draws fire as plastic waste talks loom
The Straits Times

K-pop CD output draws fire as plastic waste talks loom

SEOUL - K-pop music may be South Korea's buzziest export, but the industry needlessly creates mountains of plastic in its home market by churning out CDs that most fans do not even listen to, critics say.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Actress Yvonne Lim returning to Singapore after 10 years in Taiwan
The Straits Times

Actress Yvonne Lim returning to Singapore after 10 years in Taiwan

Singaporean actress Yvonne Lim is ready for a new chapter in her life. The 48-year-old announced on social media on Nov 21 that she has opened a YouTube channel.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Striking scenes from abstract triptych in Puppet Origin Stories
The Straits Times

Striking scenes from abstract triptych in Puppet Origin Stories

A wilfully abstract triptych of stories that make up the third edition of Puppet Origin Stories will frustrate the theatregoer in search of meaning, but delight those who can surrender to the weird and affecting visual scenes crafted on stage.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Kim Soo-hyun samples local food and finds it 'very satisfying'
The Straits Times

Kim Soo-hyun samples local food and finds it 'very satisfying'

The K-drama star is here to promote his new series as part of Disney's showcase of upcoming Asian titles

time-read
1 min  |
November 23, 2024
Entrepreneur rediscovers her need for speed
The Straits Times

Entrepreneur rediscovers her need for speed

Ms Janice Oo lives out the famous line from the 1986 Hollywood flick, Top Gun, when the lead character \"Maverick\", played by Tom Cruise, declared: \"I feel the need, the need for speed.\"

time-read
3 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Timeless Velar refreshed with hybrid engine
The Straits Times

Timeless Velar refreshed with hybrid engine

The model by Range Rover is relaxing to drive, but the controls feel lighter and less direct than those of its rivals

time-read
3 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Wish come true for BYD buyers with families
The Straits Times

Wish come true for BYD buyers with families

The M6 is the first mid-sized electric seven-seater to be available here

time-read
4 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Subtle serenity
The Straits Times

Subtle serenity

Newly-weds pick clean, functional Japandi aesthetic for their HDB flat

time-read
2 mins  |
November 23, 2024