Park View care home welcomes BBC film crew for intergenerational session

On 2 March, Park View care home in Priory Road, Warwick, welcomed a film crew who visited the home, capturing an invaluable community link for residents, due to be aired on TV’s BBC Breakfast week commencing 22 March 2020.

The crew filmed Runwood Homes’ residents enjoying intergenerational activities with local primary school children, aged 7 years, which was set up by Kissing It Better; a healthcare charity and training provider, working to end the isolation of old age by bringing generations together.

Denise Clark, the Home Manager, believes the partnership with Kissing It Better is really beneficial to residents, “Working with Kissing It Better to aid our wellbeing enhancement programme was a fantastic opportunity that we couldn’t pass up, and it was exciting to have a film crew here in the home too.”

The children, from Emscote Infant School, interacted with kindness and expressed a natural inquisitiveness, asking their new companions about their past and enthusiastically listened to the interesting answers given by residents, helping to build meaningful relationships and getting to know one another. For those living with dementia, reminiscing about their earlier years often comes with ease, providing both groups with effortless conversation during the session.

Paul Gaskell, Runwood Homes’ Director of Wellbeing and Dementia Services commented, “Our residents had a marvellous time with their new friends and we’re very much looking forward to frequent visits from the children, where they’ll regularly be enabled to sit, chat and take part in activities together with residents. As a large care home group, intergenerational contact and community connections are extremely important as they really help keep residents connected with wider local communities.”

Park View care home in Warwick provides 24 hour residential and dementia care for up to 64 residents, and is operated by leading operator, Runwood Homes; a family run, established over 32 years ago. For more information, please call 01926 493883, email parkview.warks@runwoodhomes.co.uk or visit www.runwoodhomes.co.uk