Involving Children in a Visit

If you’re considering moving your loved one into a care home, one area that you may be worried about is the best way to keep the strong bonds between your children and their elderly relative. At Evermore, we’re always delighted to welcome children into our care homes and recognise the benefits that visiting children can have on our residents.

Why is it important for children to visit?

Data shows that retirees and children are becoming increasingly segregated, despite research showing the numerous benefits of children and elderly relatives spending time together. Aside from building crucial family bonds, intergenerational communication has been shown to improve confidence in both children and their older relatives. For the elderly in particular, children bring an uplifting energy which can increase motivation, improve wellbeing, and lead our residents to feel more willing to take part in activities.

For those who require dementia care, the results can sometimes be even more dramatic. The presence of children can counter-balance the low self-esteem that those with dementia may experience. In an interview in The Guardian in 2018, Ali Somers, co-founder of Apples and Honey – a nursery purpose-built into the grounds of a care home, said “There’s something about having children on site which makes residents feel more human and gives them permission to care about others. It boosts their confidence and feeling of self-worth.”

How can children get involved with a visit?

At Ashton Manor – our care home in Lancaster – children are always welcome to visit their elderly relatives. Families have the benefit of using our on-site tea room where they can enjoy hot drinks, biscuits, cakes, and juice are always on offer! For a more personal get-together, visits are also welcome to take place in your loved one’s private room.*

Our cinema room is another a great way to keep the children entertained and involve the whole family in a joint activity.

We also host a number of events throughout the year that children and their families can take part in and join in the fun with the residents.

At Evermore, we’ve seen how visits from grandchildren really lifts the mood of our residents and causes our resident’s faces to light up. They love chatting and interacting with the children, and our team members often note that it seems to have a great effect, especially amongst those with dementia.

Look out for our Events

Our next event is a special Jubilee celebration on June 3rd. Why not bring the children to get involved with a range of activities we’ll be hosting throughout the day.

Look out for updates over on our Facebook page.

 

*Please note that visitors to private rooms are limited to 2 people whilst the Covid-19 pandemic is ongoing.