Care Home Pairs Residents with Adorable Toddlers to Celebrate World Nursery Rhyme Week
A Hertfordshire care home has paired its residents with a group of adorable toddlers to celebrate World Nursery Rhyme Week – in a bid to rekindle natural paternal bonds and evoke happy memories of old.
Foxholes Care Home, near Hitchin, recently invited several mothers from its popular ‘Foxcubs’ group, which provides a communal environment for new mothers to connect and learn from the experiences of residents in raising their own children, to join the Hertfordshire home in an afternoon of sing-a-longs and fun.
During the visit, residents took turns to hold, cuddle and sing nursery rhymes to the toddlers to enable them to reminisce about parenthood – recollecting fond memories of them singing to their own children years ago.
Numerous studies have found that babies and younger children can greatly benefit older people, with intergenerational care reducing depression, increasing mobility and fostering better communication and language.
The day itself was coordinated by Foxholes’ Head of Engagement, Adele Querelle – whose 18-month-old daughter, Nellie, was the inaugural member of Foxcubs – after wanting to promote an activity that kept residents active and engaged while simultaneously benefiting like-minded mothers hoping to boost interactions for their children.
Speaking of her motivation behind the idea, Adele said:
“I consider every resident of Foxholes an extended family member, so it’s only natural that as a mother, I’d want to involve them during the most memorable and meaningful aspects of parenthood. It was such a nice day for the residents to look forward to as intergenerational relationships are equally as important for children, too, so we saw this opportunity as a no-brainer.”
Commenting on the experience, 84-year-old resident Shirley Dyble, said:
“It was so lovely seeing baby Nellie again and getting the opportunity to relive some of the meaningful experiences I haven’t had since I was a parent. With everything going on in the world it’s easy to get caught up in life, so it’s important to occasionally allow yourself to reminisce and enjoy the happier moments of yesteryear.”
Neil Gandecha, Estate Manager at Foxholes Care Home, said:
“At Foxholes, we really value and appreciate the importance of intergenerational relationships, which is why we’re always looking to identify programmes and schemes that pair children with our residents. It’s always nice to allow our residents to interact with the little ones, while it’s also beneficial for the children, too, as relationships, especially those formed during childhood, are sacred – and we believe that the same is true in care homes.”
He concluded: “The day was an overwhelming success and we’re looking forward to getting everyone together again in the New Year as we look to continue the success of our Foxcubs initiative.”
