Mum Moved Into Wentworth on July 6th. She had previously been in another care home were she had a fall and broke her hip. Mum was not Happy about returning there so...
Residents at a Cheltenham care home shared special moments with their new friends from a local primary school at the culmination of a community project.
The year three class from Hester’s Way Primary School have been visiting the residents, who live with moderate to advanced dementia, for the past seven weeks to sing together and create art for the home’s sensory garden. The project is part of an ongoing partnership between the school, Wentworth Court Nursing Home and Cheltenham’s Everyman Theatre.
Community artist and practitioner Susie Walker said: “We’ve created garden features with nature as a theme, with beautiful fish, flowers, spiders and butterflies that hang from the garden pergola, moving in the wind and catching the light.
“It’s been really lovely to watch the residents and children come together, helping each other out, and seeing the joy in their faces when that happens.”
Class teacher, Danielle Rimell added: “It’s a great experience for the children. They love coming here, to sing, play instruments and spend time with the residents and staff. A lot of children have questions about dementia, especially if their own grandparents have the condition, so it’s good for them to get an insight and see how people are cared for.”
The children have been learning songs with David Lloyd, The Music Man, which they performed accompanied by the residents who joined in with tambourines and bells. The event culminated in the reading of an acrostic poem based on ‘Wentworth Court’ and a garden blessing read by Caro Day, Education and Community Project Manager at the Everyman Theatre.
Caro said: “This project means so much, so many special moments that you can’t anticipate but they just happen and they make everyone’s heart light up, it’s absolutely beautiful. The connection between the children and the residents who live here is priceless.”
Wentworth Court Head of Community Engagement, Rachel Jones added: “Today was very special for our residents, enjoying the company of the young people that they have got to know over the past few weeks. The artwork that the children and residents have created is not only beautiful but is a lasting legacy of the friendships that are shared between our dementia community and children from our neighbouring school.
“It is very fitting that the celebration has taken part during national Care Home Open Week which is all about raising awareness of the role that care homes play within their local communities.”
For more information about Wentworth Court, or to visit during Care Home Open Week, which continues until Sunday, please call 01242 263334 or email info@wentworthct.com.
