case studies of wellbeing activities in a Dementia care home?

[AB60]

Our mother's care home asked for feedback at the resdidents and family meeting about what to spend funding on regarding wellbeing activities. Can any recommend any case studies for consideration.

They have a sensory garden already, which will be getting a refresh. But the majority do not venture outside. Our mother does, and is earlyish stage dementia, but we're thinking if there can be activities which have a broader benefit too, where all the residents with a range of dementia.

They are learning lessons from previous projects, e.g. They designed and built a shop in the outside garden, which for a variety of reasons has not been used. Therefore they don't want to waste money on expensive capital projects.

It feels to me, that what would benefit all, would be ongoing support by a professional(s) for an ongoing project. Would be great if the staff benefit from this too .

The home is based in north Midlands.

Any ideas, particularly from professional researchers, welcome.

 

[canary]

I saw this artical about a "magic table" and it sounded amazing
https://www.theguardian.com/social-...e-helps-dementia-patients-relax-and-reminisce
I dont have any experience of it though

 

[SnowWhite]

Its a shame that the sensory garden and shop are not used at your Mums home.

I guess these things look good in a brochure but whats the point when they are not being used. My friends Mum is in a home which she was very impressed with as it has both a sensory room and sensory garden. Trouble is they dont have sufficient staff to allow people to use them.

If it was me someting as simple as getting staff to sit down and look at residents photos or discuss their lives is probably the most beneficial “activity” which involves no expense.

 

[Beate]

I would get pets in. Not to live there though I think I read about a home having cats once, but get a variety of cute animals in for people to stroke a few hours or afternoons a week - cats, dogs, rabbits, that sort of thing. There are some organisations that provide this.

 

[AB60]

I saw this artical about a "magic table" and it sounded amazing
I dont have any experience of it though

Thank you.
I'm aware of similar devices, actually a whole room, in SEND schools.

I had thought the solution might be from Netherlands - totally pragmatic and get on with fixing and funding issues. Look at their countries solution to living below sea level- love them!

Would be good to know how sustained a solution it is. If there are Any researchers out there with knowledge on how care homes use it. Or professionals with experience? Thanks again.

 

[AB60]

Its a shame that the sensory garden and shop are not used at your Mums home.

I guess these things look good in a brochure but whats the point when they are not being used. My friends Mum is in a home which she was very impressed with as it has both a sensory room and sensory garden. Trouble is they dont have sufficient staff to allow people to use them.

If it was me someting as simple as getting staff to sit down and look at residents photos or discuss their lives is probably the most beneficial “activity” which involves no expense.

Many thanks.
Yes the wonderful care home do this and one of the great things is they carry on taking photos, building a snapshot of their lives now. A similar successful approach used in Early Years settings.

Yes, you're spot on. it's all about support through activities. Hence why sustaining supportive networks with family and friends as well as the wider community works, and helps the staff too.

 

[AB60]

I would get pets in. Not to live there though I think I read about a home having cats once, but get a variety of cute animals in for people to stroke a few hours or afternoons a week - cats, dogs, rabbits, that sort of thing. There are some organisations that provide this.

Great idea. I did see that joyful Countryfile where the alpacas came to visit a home in Dorset.

 

[DeMartin]

From visiting my mum in a nice care home, no sensory garden or shop, I feel that activities are the way to contentment. Mum’s so happy when she wins at bingo/dominos etc. She enjoys making seasonal projects, Halloween, Christmas, showed me all the bits she’d done.
The home has two resident cats, they have free range, Mum, who loathed my Siamese cats, loves them, encouraging them to sit on her.
I think she’s also had a visit from a therapy pony.
The more variety of activities from animals, singers etc the better, bearing in mind PWD can tire easily.
The care home I declined due to lack of ensuite bathroom had chickens, Mum grew up on a farm, she’d have loved them.

 

[AB60]

From visiting my mum in a nice care home, no sensory garden or shop, I feel that activities are the way to contentment. Mum’s so happy when she wins at bingo/dominos etc. She enjoys making seasonal projects, Halloween, Christmas, showed me all the bits she’d done.
The home has two resident cats, they have free range, Mum, who loathed my Siamese cats, loves them, encouraging them to sit on her.
I think she’s also had a visit from a therapy pony.
The more variety of activities from animals, singers etc the better, bearing in mind PWD can tire easily.
The care home I declined due to lack of ensuite bathroom had chickens, Mum grew up on a farm, she’d have loved them.

Many thanks.
Yes - I get what you mean about the loathing/loving conundrum. - It keeps us on ours toes....
And thank you for the reality context of 'tire easily'. I read on an earlier thread about being realistic of not setting sights too high, but doing it with kindness and do it well.
Yep mum grew up on a farm and loved chickens in the place she was, during an assessment period.

 

[JennyC_123]

I love the Netherlands place. This got me to thinking -- what about a fake pub? A place where people can socialize, and a familiar setting to eat in. It could be a lot of fun. It'd be a mini-version of what they have in the Netherlands, but catered to UK folks...

 

[Izzy]

I wonder if something involving music could be organised - perhaps visits from a music therapist or regular singing for the brain sessions. There might be some ideas on this website -

https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/playlist-in-action

 

[Hair Twiddler]

Agree with Izzy, singing gave my mum lots of pleasure both at Singing For the Brain sessions and later in her care home. The former also included a few minutes of tai chi, practising tongue twisters and having a music interlude with tambourines, maracas et al. A good entertainments staff member should be able to rustle this up twice a week with little monetary outlay.

Our (rather large) dog also came with me to visit mum, inevitably he (and mum) wanted to go together into the sitting room, the home were supportive, I was apprehensive. How wrong was I. The sitting room folk grew to love him, the ladies giggled with delight as poked his nose into their handbags. The boy had a knack for knowing which residents were more cautious and steered clear until they made the first approach. No one said a lot but it seemed to me that mum's fellow residents watched him an awful lot and derived pleasure from simply following his activity. Sometimes he just lay on the carpet and snoozed. He had had no particular training other than good manners, no jumping on furniture and knew to come to me when asked.