Thorrington care home residents get arty with local pupil

Residents at a care home in Thorrington have been supporting a local school pupil’s ambitious sponsored paint.  

Residents at Care UK’s Silversprings, on Tenpenny Hill, spent time revisiting the much-loved hobby of painting, with new friend, 7-year-old Robert, from Myland Primary School.

The friendship formed when Robert embarked on a sponsored paint to raise money for his school’s Parent Teacher Association, to purchase new play equipment. He asked his mum, Sarah, if he could send his finished pieces to local care homes, including Silversprings, and Care UK’s Tall Trees, in Colchester, to share some joy.

Wanting to thank Robert in person, Silversprings invited him in for a painting masterclass as part of a nationwide initiative the home is taking part in – Long Lost Hobbies. 

The ‘Long Lost Hobbies’ initiative sees residents in Care UK homes across the country share their favourite hobbies and try new pastimes with younger generations after a national survey found 77% of adults feel technology is the cause of traditional skills being lost, including flower arranging, knitting and woodworking.

To ensure the hobbies of older generations are not forgotten, residents at Silversprings have been getting to the knitty-gritty and unwinding what makes their favourite pastime so enjoyable. Many residents at Silversprings love painting and were keen to encourage Robert to continue. 

Joanne Rix, Home Manager at Silversprings, said: “We had a fantastic time meeting Robert in person and taking part in Long Lost Hobbies. 

“For those living with dementia, revisiting a past hobby, such as painting can help bring back memories, as well as providing an enjoyable way to connect with others through a familiar activity that once brought joy. These positive feelings gained from revisiting fond memories and time spent with younger people can also help decrease stress, reduce agitation, and provide a feeling of success and confidence. 

“Residents and team members at Silversprings have loved revisiting their favourite hobbies and discovering new ways to pass the time from younger generations. It has been wonderful to hear Robert and residents talking about why they love to paint so much.”  

Silversprings is a modern care home which provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. Designed to enable residents to live enjoyable and fulfilling lives, the care home has a choice of lounges and dining rooms, facilities such as an activity room and hair salon, and plenty of outdoor space to sit and relax.

To sponsor Robert's painting for care homes, head to Just Giving.

For more information on Silversprings, please call Customer Relations Manager, Lisa O’Sullivan, on 01206 809173, email lisa.osullivan@careuk.com or go to careuk.com/silversprings.

For top tips on how you and your loved ones can revisit forgotten pastimes, please visit: careuk.com/long-lost-hobbies.