How School Children Are Making a Difference at our Care Homes

Every two weeks, Year 6 pupils from Langlands Primary School, just across the road from our Forfar home, visit Benholm Care to chat, play games and spend time with residents.

It all started when our Wellbeing Lead Tracey phoned the school, knowing how much our residents love spending time children. "It just so happened that the school were looking for community engagement," she explains. It began with Christmas carols, then the children came back for a magic show and now the whole class visits every fortnight.

These visits are a wonderful example of how we live our values here at Each Other Care, from being there for each other, staying positive and building relationships. The children are naturally curious about the residents' stories and experiences. They want to know about their life adventures, the jobs they worked and their favourite games and love learning about the person behind each story.

The activities change depending on the weather and what people fancy. Lawn games when it's sunny, board games when it's not, ping pong matches, Easter egg hunts. "I loved spending time with the elders and playing games with them," says Emilie. AJ was particularly enthusiastic: "Thanks for letting us come. It was so much fun and I loved getting hugs from the residents."

Research shows that these kinds of intergenerational connections help with loneliness and improve wellbeing across age groups. At Benholm Care, we're witnessing these benefits firsthand. Residents who were once quiet are now animatedly sharing stories, while initially shy children are confidently engaging with residents.

Mrs Thompson told us that the visits have equipped the children with valuable life skills, while our residents regularly ask about the children throughout the week, eagerly anticipating each visit. For people living in care homes, a consistent routine and regular things to look forward to provides a sense of stability, purpose and the encouragement to stay engaged and involved in daily life. Though this year's class will move up to Year 7, we're excited to meet a new group next year.

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