HC-One care homes across the UK have marked National Day of Arts in Care Homes on the 24th September which aims to champion, promote and encourage arts engagement in care settings and promote the wellbeing benefits of these activities for residents. The National Day of Arts in Care Homes is an annual event where care homes and arts partners can take part by organising an arts activity, big or small, involving any art-form.
At Daneside Mews Care Home in Northwich, Cheshire, have been taking part in an arts and crafts session where residents painted their very own sea life creatures using a range of art and decoration supplies. In another crafts session, residents also took part in a flower arranging workshop where residents selected their chosen flowers to create a beautiful bouquet of flowers.
Kali Whitbread, Home Manager at Daneside Mews Care Home, said:
“It’s really important to us at Daneside Mews to take part in regular arts and crafts sessions at the home. It provides residents with the opportunity to try something new, learning skills and enjoying being creative together. Residents loved creating their own seaside themed art display and taking part in a workshop to create beautiful bouquets of colourful flower displays.”
At Newlands Care Home in Stockport, Cheshire, resident Colin has been using his creative and artistic talents to create some works of art for the care home. The home purchased some paint by numbers art pieces which Colin enjoyed completing and painting in which when finished were proudly put up on display to decorate the home.
Colin, a resident at Newlands Care Home, commented:
“I really enjoy painting. Completing my paint by number art pieces has a positive impact on boosting my wellbeing as it makes me happy and provides me with joy!”
At Roby Lodge Care Home in Liverpool, Merseyside, residents took place in an arts and crafts session to create their own decorative gnomes. Residents chose their chosen colour for their gnomes and decorated their gnomes with love hearts and glitter.
Natalie Carney, Home Manager at Roby Lodge Care Home, stated:
“Our residents really enjoyed taking part in an arts and crafts session to create their very own glitter gnomes and even gave them their own names afterwards. At Roby Lodge we believe it’s important to promote and champion engagement in the arts as we know this has a number of positive health and wellbeing benefits for our residents.”
At Roby House Care Home in Liverpool, Merseyside, residents have been creating and decorating their own bird boxes. Residents decorated the bird boxes with a selection of bright and vibrant colour choices and patterns to attract new wildlife to the garden areas of the care home. Residents filled the bird boxes with straw, sticks, rocks, feathers, and moss to create an attractive living environment for the birds. The bird boxes accompanied by bird food were then put proudly on display around the garden and residents enjoy seeing the new birds and wildlife the bird boxes attract.
Residents really enjoyed creating their own bird boxes which now attract birds to the garden areas of Roby House Care Home.
The bird boxes provide a suitable and comfortable living environment for birds to raise young in and residents enjoy seeing their creations have a purpose.
At Rose Court Care Home in Radcliffe, Manchester, residents worked with students from Bury Art College to create some pieces of art. Kat, the Senior Technician for arts and media at Bury Art College held the arts and crafts sessions. Residents were partnered up with students to provide one to one support to create their master pieces. Residents created their artwork using Batik, fabric transfer painting and potato painting techniques.
Leanne Batten-Smith, Home Manager at Rose Court Care Home, stated:
“Residents and students had a fun day together and it was great to see the younger and older generation working together and sharing life stories with each other. Thank you to Bury Art College students and to Kat for providing these arts and crafts sessions.”
