care home visits

Phew what a scorcher it's been today! I was fortunate enough to spend the day visiting two Cornwall Care homes, wandering through their gardens and chatting with staff, residents and relatives.  Over the past few months I've been to 8 of their homes, talking to the managers about how they currently use their outdoor spaces, outdoor-related activities and the use of customary garden interests to engage residents with the local community. It's also been an opportunity to view their garden areas and find out what the issues are that prevent them from making better use of these spaces.

The aim is to take our project work to a wider audience, helping other managers to use the activities and techniques undertaken at Trevarna to bring their residents together with the community through the use of outdoor care environments.  This dissemination of information and findings from the project will continue to grow through Year 3 of the project to care homes and care professionals on a national scale.

Every care home's use of their garden space is individual to them; based on security of the area, current links with local groups and schools, staffing levels and the optimism and drive of the care home manager.  Having completed my visits the next task will be to develop an action plan for each care home.  For some, this will be no more than offering advice on suitable community events and outdoor activities to engage the residents.  For others we will need to work more closely with them to enable residents to spend more time outside and, in particular, out in the community.

Wendy
Project Manager

Luscious beds at Chyvarhas

Great space for community events at Pengover