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Where a good care experience is child's play
Have you ever heard of a nursing home with its very own playgroup? Let us introduce it to you.
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This is Oaklands Nursing Home
Every fortnight, parents of babies and toddlers living near Oaklands in Kingswinford, near Dudley, take their little ones in to see and play with the residents.
The recently-established ‘Bits and Bobs’ playgroup is one of the ways that staff at Oaklands aim to foster a home-from-home living experience for their 44 older residents.
The children are accompanied by their parents at each playgroup session, with residents invited to say ‘hello’ and talk and play with them.
A hit
The innovative initiative is proving to be a hit with residents and the families involved.
Resident Isaac Hughes said: “I love to see the children playing. When they laugh, I can't help but join in.”
Hilda Busby, another resident at Oaklands, said: “I love all the babies. I love to see them and have a cuddle on my lap.”
At Christmas, one of the residents dressed as Santa Claus to entertain the children and the home has also hosted an indoor beach for children and residents to build sandcastles and wear hats fashioned from knotted handkerchiefs.
Community
Satish Sahni, the director of Oaklands, said: “It’s great to bring people from the community into the home as many of our residents have limited mobility and have difficulty in going out. It creates a very positive atmosphere in the building.
“The shared experience enables the young children to play and develop their social skills but it’s also really important and pleasurable for our residents. It has helped those who have dementia to reminisce about the experiences they had when their own children were young.”
Help us share good practice
Are you proud of an initiative or practice that you want to share with other nursing staff? Email Vicky Sandy-Davis, the RCN’s Lead Nurse for Independent Health and Social Care in the West Midlands, to let her know.
