Care Home “Pub” Is Perfect Tonic for Paisley Residents
A Bupa Care Home offers an unusual therapy for its residents, providing them with their own traditional ‘pub’.
Bupa’s Elderslie Care Home, in Paisley, features the resident-named “The Ship Inn”, which aims to provide a recognisable social environment for residents to relive the past, and encourage the sharing of memories and stories.
Although the ‘pub’ is a not a licensed premises, it is fully equipped for social activities with a dartboard, pool table and karaoke machine, and also comes complete with personal, traditional beer tankards for each of the care home’s residents.
The benefits of the pub are further enhanced by an adjoining spacious family area, with both rooms providing ample scope for a wide range of social activities with friends and family, including birthday parties, Burns suppers and games of bingo.
Fiona Truesdale, Manager at Bupa’s Elderslie care home, believes the pub delivers a creative form of therapy for residents, especially those living with dementia.
She said: “The ‘pub’ is a comfortable and familiar social setting for our residents which helps to makes them feel more at ease within their surroundings.
“It is open to all residents and appeals to the vast majority as it allows them to reconnect with the traditional notion of ‘going for a pint with your pals’.
“We currently use it for all manner of activities and special events – everything from a quiet Friday night in to Mother’s Day lunches and celebratory family occasions.
“We also like to decorate the pub depending on the season which the residents really enjoy. It is currently looking very sparkly as a Winter Wonderland and we are planning on transforming it into a Hawaiian beach bar for the summer.”
Dementia takes various forms and can leave people living with the condition feeling confused, isolated or distressed. In some cases they will not recognise even close relatives and loved ones.
However, research has repeatedly shown the benefits of helping those with the condition to channel and focus on positive memories from their lives.
Fiona believes the pub helps to improve cognitive stimulation for Elderslie’s residents living with dementia.
She said: “This concept improves the living experience for residents by providing extra cognitive stimulation which inevitably improves their mood and general sense of wellbeing.
“Families can also benefit from spending time in an enjoyable setting which enhances the visit to their relative or friend – helping to create a friendly, relaxing atmosphere for all parties.
“Spending time in the ‘pub’ can also improve co-ordination – even if this just involves a resident raising a pint glass.”
