Toddlers brighten up the lives of care home residents

In the sunlit front room of Hengrove Lodge residential care home, residents smile with delight as they see how many children are visiting today from the nearby Hengrove branch of Southern Links Children’s Center. Two-year-old Lexie-Jay makes a beeline for the home-made play-dough on the coffee table, and everyone becomes absorbed in every move the children make, many waiting in anticipation for a cuddle from their favourites.

Stay and play session in full swing at Hengrove Lodge residential care home

Hannah Stopford is a community development worker at Bristol Aging Better, who are running this scheme in partnership with the children’s centre. “We wanted to do more integrational activities in the area,” she explains. “The main aim is to reduce social isolation but it’s also to set up projects that are going to last. We are working with the community to help them run these schemes and we’re also tapping into activities already going on within Bristol.

Play time begins with Charlie as residents wait for a cuddle

“The visits to Hengrove Lodge run on a stay-and-play basis, so the parents bring the children along as they would in the children’s center, and we’ve set up the activities so the residents and children can enjoy them together.”

With many children’s toys brought along to the sessions, as well as art and craft activities, these stay-and-plays sessions last an hour and take place every other Wednesday.

Two-year-old Indiana blowing bubbles with Hengrove Lodge resident, Brenda

“Raising awareness of social isolation is key, but these visits are also having a big impact on the elderly who are suffering from dementia,” explains Lil Bowers, centre manager for Southern Links Children’s Centre. Around 850,000 people in the UK live with Alzheimer’s disease – the most common cause of dementia.

Lil says that, following a few visits, the children have started to mean a lot to the residents, who remember more and more about them each time and even ask for them by name. “It’s a real show of community spirit, and having these families visit Hengrove Lodge is vital to the work we do.”

Many enjoying the stay and play visit at Hengrove Lodge

Alex Evans carefully places her eight-month old son Charlie-Jay into the arms 95-year-old resident Dot Whittingham, who coos over him, a picture of happiness. “From the moment Dot’s cuddling Charlie-Jay, she alters,” comments Sue Hodge, deputy manager of Hengrove Lodge. “It’s an indescribable feeling watching one of our oldest residents light up with joy from cradling a child. She just loves to see him and for us that’s a wonderful thing to be a part of.”

Dot Whittingham and young Charlie enjoying a cuddle

As the session draws to a close, Josh Stopford helps his two-year-old son take off his brightly-coloured crocodile suit. “This kind of thing should definitely happen more often,” he says. “It’s a brilliant idea and it makes a lot of sense. I don’t see why this kind of amalgamation couldn’t be developed further across the city. All the residents love it and it’s good all round for everyone involved.”

Find out more about Southern Links Children’s Centres and get involved yourself by visiting www.southernlinks.co.uk