Stunning Murals Provide Sensory Stimulation
Stunning sensory murals have been a wonderful way to help residents living with dementia at a Sanctuary Care home, helping the home to scoop a £7,500 award.
Beechwood Residential Care Home in Upton-upon-Severn – and three other Sanctuary Care homes in Worcester, Stourport-on-Severn and Droitwich – have been awarded £7,500 through Worcestershire County Council’s Dementia Leadership Award Programme.
The home’s manager Jemma Robinson and her team have created sensory scenes around the home, which include a beach area with shells and fabric seaweed, as well as a Wind in the Willows scene, with lots of furry creatures, imitation grass and flowers that blow in the breeze.
The grants are in recognition of the homes’ achievements in meeting the council’s Dementia Standards. The standards focus on treating people as individuals, respecting dignity and privacy, highlight the importance of environments being ‘homely’ and not institutional and the benefits of multi-sensory stimulation.
Jemma said: “Our residents absolutely love the murals and for many, they are a focal point and meeting place. We have one lady in particular who always tells her friend she will meet her by the hare on our Wind in the Willows mural.”
The home has invested in bread makers, so the residents can bake their own bread and enjoy the aroma it creates.
There are also activity stations around Beechwood, including an area with a vintage sewing machine, hats and scarves, which are a wonderful source of tactile stimulation. There is a 1950s kitchen complete with old fashioned Hoover, iron and ironing board and famous brands from yesteryear. All of these authentic items help residents to feel at home, providing comfort and reassurance, because they are familiar things that many of them would have grown up with.
Sanctuary Care’s Dementia Lead Jo Phelps added: “Our care homes are homes for our residents, so we are constantly looking at ways to make them feel as homely as possible. Although our residents’ feelings and happiness are central to everything we do, it gives us an enormous sense of pride to receive formal recognition for our achievements with this award.”
Other Sanctuary Care homes in Worcestershire to receive £7,500 in the Dementia Leadership Award Programme are Westmead Residential Care Home in Droitwich, Regent Residential Care Home in Worcester and Ravenhurst Residential Care Home in Stourport-on-Severn.
The grants must be used to further enhance the development of dementia care within the homes. The team and residents at Beechwood are in the process of deciding what to spend their money on.
