Our latest project with Age Cymru supports care home residents, staff, family and friends
Practice Solutions is supporting Age Cymru in promoting their new toolkit, designed to enhance the wellbeing of older care home residents across Wales.
This toolkit, funded by the Welsh Government, brings together a wealth of resources aimed at helping care homes to create relationship-centred approaches. We know the research is there to show that people with more social connection live longer, happier and healthier lives. This useful toolkit maps the Age Cymru resources for staff, friends, family and residents.
It focuses on four main stages of life in a care home:
Moving Successfully into a Home
Guidance on how to make the transition into a care home as smooth and positive as possible. It covers practical steps like personalising living spaces to make them feel more like home, building relationships with staff and fellow residents, and managing the emotional impact of such a significant change. Ensuring a seamless move can help residents feel more comfortable and secure in their new environment.
Taking Part in Meaningful Activities
Engaging residents in meaningful activities is crucial for their mental and emotional wellbeing. This toolkit offers a variety of activity ideas that cater to different interests and abilities, from arts and crafts to physical exercise and mental stimulation. Designed to be enjoyable and enriching, they help residents to stay active and socially connected, which can significantly enhance their quality of life.
Finding a Sense of Purpose
Having a sense of purpose is vital for maintaining a positive outlook on life. The toolkit suggests ways to help residents find and nurture their sense of purpose, whether through volunteering, mentoring, or participating in community projects. It emphasises the importance of recognising and celebrating each resident’s unique contributions and achievements, fostering that crucial sense of fulfillment and self-worth that we are all after.
Having a Dignified End of Life
This is a big one. A difficult and very sensitive area that many staff and residents struggle with. This toolkit provide a number of tools to support the challenge of end-of-life care, offering strategies to ensure that residents can experience a dignified and respectful end of life.
It includes advice on advance care planning, palliative care options, and supporting families through the process. By focusing on compassionate and person-centered care, the toolkit helps to ensure that residents’ final days are as comfortable and meaningful as possible.
Informed by conversations with residents, care home staff, local authorities and health boards, the toolkit addresses the real needs and experiences of those in care homes, making it a vital resource for enhancing the well-being of older adults.
We have produced a short explainer video to go with the toolkit that gives an idea of what’s involved and captures some of the work already happening in care homes across Wales:
If you want to find out more, visit the Age Cymru website. Share this toolkit and show support for initiatives that enhance the lives of older adults in care homes. Together, we can create a brighter future for residents and their families.
