Adderbury care home creates sensory beach experience for residents

A resident at Lake House Care Home in Adderbury enjoys the beach experience

Residents at Lake House Care Home in Adderbury, operated by The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT), were delighted this week when their home’s garden was turned into an interactive sensory beach experience for the day.

Lake House Home Manager, Alexandra Grindle, said: “We usually take a trip to the coast at this time of year, which is something our residents really look forward to. In the current situation day trips are not possible so we decided to bring the beach to Lake House instead for an experience our residents could enjoy safely.”

Residents encountered all the mainstays of the classic British seaside in the fully sensory experience. The team at the home organised water to paddle in, seaside sound effects and backdrops alongside portable sandy beach.

Residents enjoyed fish and chips in newspaper, ice cream cornets and sticks of rock while writing postcards and being entertained by a Punch and Judy show. Knotted hankies on heads kept off the sun and completed a holiday look that was a blast from the past for some residents.

Lake House resident Dorothy Lund said: “It’s been lovely. It reminds me of going to the beach as a girl. We only lived an hour from the seaside, so in the summer we always used to go on a Sunday after church.”

Alexandra added: “We designed this experience to adhere to OSJCT’s robust hygiene, PPE and social distancing protocols. All elements were portable and easily cleaned so that residents could enjoy the experience within their social bubbles and from a safe distance. We have been so lucky with the weather and this has been a great way to keep cool in the heat today.”

Lake House activities coordinator, Teresa Fisk, added: “Bringing the beach to Lake House has been a great source of reminiscence and sensory therapy for our residents, and most importantly it’s been loads of fun. Residents have really enjoyed themselves.”

“It’s been many years since I last saw a Punch and Judy show,” said Dorothy. “It’s brought back some lovely memories.”