Care home residents brush up on their spanish skills with local youngsters

Residents at Eglantine Villa Bupa Care Home were recently joined by local youngsters and their parents to learn Spanish as part of a series of activity sessions hosted at the care home, created to encourage community integration.

The afternoon was organised by Activity Co-ordinator Peter Ward, alongside LingoTots, an educational service that provides language classes to children and adults. The session consisted of residents reciting words in Spanish, educational games and crafting.

One resident, Hermy Airth, aged 88 commented: “I had a lovely time at the Lingotots session. The children were so lovely, and it really brightened my day. I thoroughly enjoyed getting involved and cannot wait for the next session.”

Another resident, Doreen Newman, aged 83 commented: “I have always loved spending time with children. My children and grandchildren are all grown up now, so it was absolutely delightful to have some little ones in the home.”

Bryony John, Home Manager at Eglantine Villa, commented: “We had a fantastic afternoon with LingoTots. Our residents’ faces were full of smiles, I could see how much they enjoyed chatting to our little guests. The benefits of activity sessions such as these are unparalleled, as they help keep the mind sharp and build confidence. Even residents who have limited speech were reciting words in Spanish and socially interacting with the children. It was great to see, and we cannot wait for more sessions in the future.”

The care home team and residents at Eglantine Villa are looking forward to regular sessions with the LingoTots over the coming months.

Eglantine Villa Bupa Care Home is situated in Dartford and welcomes residents in need of nursing or residential care, including those living with (Huntington’s Dementia and Parkinson’s). For further information, please visit https://www.bupa.co.uk/care-services