Dementia Friendly Barbers Bring Smiles, Laughter, And Nostalgia To Weymouth Care Home

Weymouth care home residents were treated like their film and music star idols during a special pampering session.

Residents living at Buxton House, on Radipole Lane, were joined by Birmingham-based team, Dementia Friendly Barbers, led by Tom Roberts and Cordelle Cabey. The men are on a mission to provide a dedicated dementia-friendly barber service to care homes across the UK, with Buxton House being the first care home that they have visited in Dorset.

Tom and Cordelle brought retro-themed hair and shaving products, a speaker shaped like an old-fashioned juke box and photos featuring music, sports and film stars from the 1940s, 50s and 60s, to transform the home’s hairdressing salon into a barber’s shop. The hair cutting and beard trimming service was offered to all residents, not just those living with dementia.

The session aimed to spark conversation while sat in the barber’s chair and enabled the residents to reminisce about the music they were listening to during the experience by musicians such as Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.

Tom Roberts, founder of the Dementia Friendly Barbers, said:
“It was lovely to see the residents’ eyes light up as they shared the stories of their life experiences and their favourite film and music stars. We like to make it a sensory experience with different sights, sounds and smells sparking their memories. We had such a warm welcome from the Buxton House team and it was a privilege to be able to support the residents to feel relaxed, valued and respected as they took a trip down memory lane.”

Lauren Taylor, Home Manager, at Buxton House, said:
“We were thrilled to welcome the Dementia Friendly Barbers who created smiles, laughter and conversations from the residents throughout the day. At Care South, we like to enable residents to continue enjoying activities and experiences which they might not be able to have without the team’s support. We are so grateful to Tom and Cordelle for bringing such joy to our home.”