Using positive news to help care home residents re-visit their past and bring purpose to the ‘here and now’…

The Picture News Story – where it began

The dedicated team at Picture News have been providing current affairs resources to spark meaningful discussion for young people in schools since 2017. They are passionate about supporting children to find their voice and help them to develop their character, talents and personal interests. When they reached out to residents in care homes last year with an intergenerational Hearts for Homes project, they saw how their resources brought similar benefits and value to older generations too, thus Picture News Care was born.

Picture News education and care home packs are written using the same themes, questions and information so that children and care home residents can connect sharing ideas and views together. As the intergenerational charity Ready Generations explains; ‘Resources can be used to bring generations together promoting relational connection and life-long learning through inclusive activities that value everyone’s contribution.’

What Activity Resources does Picture News Care include?

(All the resources are digital format/printable).

Firstly there is a big question poster with an engaging image and a positive news story to enable staff to lead an informal discussion with residents.

The News resource offers a range of different topics to stimulate personal interests, encourage the sharing of personal viewpoints, spark memories and think about what is happening in the world with open-ended questions.

There are two further resources:

The first is a themed activity sheet with word games, a quiz or crossword.

The second is a page of sensory suggestions to stimulate residents who may find it difficult to engage in discussion. The resources use NAPA’s colour coding levels so that activity coordinators can pitch the resources to their residents’ abilities and level of participation.

Barchester Case Study

”When Pauline Davies, resident at Barchester’s Tandridge Heights, read an article in the Picture News Care newspaper about UK National Service post World War II, it reignited her sense of purpose. Her late husband John did his National Service at the same time as one of the recruits mentioned in the article, so she wrote to us with questions about him. Kelly, a carer told us, “It inspired Pauline to write about her own experiences and memories of her time during the war and her life since the war. It has become a very interesting read for all of us here at Tandridge Heights. Pauline has said it has kept her busy and her mind off this awful pandemic, so thank you so much!”

 

Case Study Two

”Christine Robson from York is bursting with chat when I meet up with her at a social distance. Married to Barry for almost 60 years, every conversation links to past memories. It has been in the news that BT are reviving red phone boxes across UK. Many have been reused for miniature libraries, a tiny museum on Scarborough seafront and homes for defibrillators in remote villages. Christine is keen to tell me that she didn’t have a phone at home until she moved home after college. She can still recall the polite voice of the speaking clock telling her, ‘At the third stroke, it will be…’ Her obvious creative streak is reignited when she chooses our additional drawing activity to design an impressive mini flower shop. Christine was a successful professional designer for more than 50 years, she tells me fondly.’

Sue Edwards, Picture News Care Consultant

If you’d like to claim your Free Picture News Care Resource for two weeks online supply please email:

hello@picture-news-care.co.uk

Please use the subject heading: ‘Mycarematters Free Offer‘