Residents and staff wore their jeans and made fabric gifts by hand as care homes marked Denim for Dementia Day with a host of activities.
The national Alzheimer’s Society campaign, designed to raise money and awareness to help those living with dementia, was supported across Colten Care’s homes in the south.
They included Fernhill in Longham near Bournemouth, where residents designed and made dozens of denim flower badges to sell in aid of the Society and the dementia care home’s main nominated charity for this year, High Mead Farm.
“It was such a brilliant idea,” said June who then joined fellow residents for a blue-themed tea party featuring homemade blue buttercream cupcakes and blueberry muffins.
Among the table decorations were denim pocket napkin holders also handmade by residents.
Denim was also on show, alongside Stetson hats and bandanas, at Brook View in West Moors as staff and residents said ‘Howdy’ to a Wild West-themed get-together.
It included an opportunity to lasso a ‘cow’, which prompted plenty of laughter and excitement.
Resident Ann Larkin said: “It was a wonderful afternoon. I really enjoyed it.”
At Linden House, Colten Care’s dedicated dementia care home in Lymington, staff put out a community appeal for donations of unwanted or pre-loved denim.
They then worked with residents to turn the fabric into upcycled gift items for sale in aid of the home’s charity of the year, the Lymington Community Association.
Cutting, filling and sewing were key activities at recent craft sessions.
Year Two children from Lymington Infant School came along to Linden House to help, making denim decorations and bookmarks with the guidance of Sarah Fawkes who runs the Jean Genie green group.
Other items created included teddies, denim dogs and lavender wheat bags, all of which were taken to the community centre to be put on sale at its Tidal Boutique.
Among the Linden House residents who attended the handover were Pamela Bradley, Enid Bazley and Jane Lavis, who used to work in the community centre.
At St Catherines View, a fellow Colten Care dementia care home in Winchester, residents and staff staged a catwalk display featuring homemade denim costumes and accessories.
“It brought a lot of smiles to many residents,” said Home Manager Vanda Baker.
