When considering living a healthy lifestyle, watching movies might not be the first thing that springs to mind, but surprisingly, sitting down to watch your favourite Hollywood stars can be a great way to exercise your mind and improve your mental health, especially for the older generation.
Experts at care home provider Ideal Carehomes, now part of the HC-One family of care homes, offer movie screenings and dedicated cinema rooms in their homes and have seen firsthand the benefits they bring to film lovers of all ages.
A chance to get lost in the moment
Studies suggest that getting engrossed in the plot of a movie can provide a chance to get lost in the moment. Whilst watching the characters on screen, the mind is able to focus, and a sense of calm can be introduced. This can help to lift overall mood or simply give the audience a moment of peace on a busy day.
Sarah Clark, Home Manager at Bradley Hall in Leicester says, “Our cinema room is the perfect place for our residents to sit back, grab some popcorn and relax. Some will choose to watch along quietly, while others will discuss the plot with their friends! However they choose to enjoy screenings, we think it’s so valuable as it can really help to brighten their mood.”
Improved memory recall
For the older generation, watching classic films gives them a chance to reminisce, promoting the recall of long-term memories and keeping the brain active. Studies suggest that those with dementia may find it easier to recall such memories, which can bring them great comfort.
Reminiscing can also be a great conversation starter, promoting social interaction and helping to encourage a sense of community.
Nicola Sutton, the Front of House Manager at Lydgate Lodge in Batley explains, “The cinema room always comes alive when we show the classics – many of our residents adore them and can remember watching them in their youth. It’s lovely to see them chatting about their first cinema trips or how they used to style their hair like Marilyn Monroe.”
Increased feel-good hormones
When trips to the cinema are pre-planned, they offer something to look forward to which can have a positive impact on mental health. Positive future thinking releases feel-good hormones which have several benefits such as lifting mood, reducing stress, calming anxiety and increasing motivation.
“Our residents love our cinema and always look forward to our next showings. There’s always an air of excitement in the home in the run-up to the next movie screening,” says Bethany Phillips, Front of House Manager at Foley Grange in Kidderminster.
Lawra Baumane, Wellbeing Manager at HC-One, says, “Across all of our homes, we feel it’s really important for our residents to have something to look forward to, which is why we have a full programme of activities and entertainment every day of the week, with something for everyone to enjoy.
Movie screenings are extremely popular with our residents and have fantastic mental health benefits, which is why we have custom-built cinema rooms inside so many of our homes. Providing a dedicated cinema space makes screenings a real event, adding to everyone’s excitement and heightening the positive side-effects these can have.”
