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Bupa care homes celebrate Community Spirit Week
11 October 2006
One hundred and sixty five Bupa care homes all over the UK invited local people to come and join them for a fun-packed day in celebration of Community Spirit Week.
Community Spirit Week (Monday 2 – Sunday 8 October) was developed by Bupa after a MORI poll commissioned by Help the Aged found that over one million older people feel isolated in their own home.
Events at the homes included a French themed day with French food, wine and staff dressed up in can-can outfits, an autumn fair with stalls, games and refreshments and a ‘tickled pink’ fundraising afternoon in support of Breast Cancer Research with live jazz and a craft sale.
Nicole Humphreys, Bupa community affairs manager, said: “We were delighted that so many of our care homes opened their doors to the local community. People who live on their own can often feel isolated and this was a great opportunity for them to meet other people and join in the fun. This year’s Community Spirit Week was a huge success and our visitors, residents and staff were all full of praise for the event.”
In addition to the Community Spirit Week initiative, a further 36 Bupa care homes across the UK have been chosen to participate in a Living History project. With help from relatives and friends from the local community homes have been developing reminiscence features based on their residents’ experiences.
The Living History project is a scheme from Bupa Care Homes and Bupa Community Connections and is intended to help residents incorporate their memories in a lasting feature at the home. Features being produced include reminiscence areas complete with items and memorabilia from a particular era, books of residents’ memories or stories and themed murals.
Examples of Living History projects include a display from the 1920s to the 1950s with pictures of musical entertainers, fashion of the times, old song sheets and games, a Victorian market stall with period costume and old-fashioned sweets and a hairdressing room with a Hollywood theme of the black-and-white movie era with posters and billboards.
For the second year running Bupa is working with reminiscence charity Age Exchange. Bernie Arigho, Age Exchange director of reminiscence research and development, said: “BUPA’s Living History project aims to provide intellectual and social stimulation by encouraging residents to remember and discuss shared or individual experiences.”
Dean Cowley, sales and marketing director at Bupa Care Services, added: “BUPA works in 300 locations around the country developing long term partnerships with local community groups. Last year Bupa teamed up with Age Exchange and a number of groups to create reminiscence features at over 30 care homes across the country. We hope people will be as eager to get involved this year.”
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