The art of storytelling – Kingston Vale care home partners with local university

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Jun 20, 2021

A Kingston Vale care home has partnered with a local university to explore how language changes with age.

Residents at Care UK’s Sherwood Grange, on Robin Hood Lane, have taken part in a special research project by City University London.

To celebrate National Share a Story Month, residents took part in a research project that explored how language changes with age and how important storytelling and reciting personal memories are in improving memory and wellbeing. Residents completed a four-part programme that built on their vocabulary by focussing on descriptive words to recall past experiences.

City University London researcher, Lydia Davis, who worked with Sherwood Grange said: “I was delighted with the engagement of the residents. It was an extremely rewarding experience. Watch this space for a further update”.                                               

Rick Mayne, Home Manager at Sherwood Grange, said “The research project was a huge success, and we were delighted to be able to work with City University London to celebrate National Share a Story Month.

“Our personal stories help us to explain to others who we are and where we’ve come from. The general effects of ageing mean that we may lose some of our communication skills and find it difficult to recall memories or find the right words to describe them. Retelling stories in a communal group helps improve mood and wellbeing, increases cognition and spoken language, as well as creating confidence and a sense of pride.

“This was a wonderful way for residents to connect with each other through memorable moments from their past. The residents enjoyed the sessions so much that when the project had finished, we decided to create our own story that weaved each residents’ personal memory into it.

“The residents had a huge amount of fun sharing their experiences and creating a story that we hope to enter for a competition. Everybody has a story to tell and ours certainly makes for an interesting read!”

Sherwood Grange has been designed to encourage residents to live active and fulfilling lives, while remaining as independent as possible in a safe environment. The ‘Outstanding’ rated, state-of-the-art care home features a cinema, hair salon and art studio, and incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The layout of the building is configured into a series of individual suites, each having a dedicated lounge/dining room, to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities.

To find out more about Sherwood Grange, please contact Customer Relations Manager, Jonathan Fahy, at jonathan.fahy@careuk.com or call 020 4502 8956.

For more general information, please visit: careuk.com/Sherwood-Grange