Bringing the seaside to Macclesfield care home

The seaside came to Hollins Park Care Home in Macclesfield recently, as the Home’s residents celebrated Care Home Open Day with a distinctly Blackpool theme.

As part of the fun-filled day of celebrations, the forty-one residents and visitors, including their friends and family, enjoyed sand, water and illuminations recreating the special promenade atmosphere at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Guests were also able to meet beach ponies; eat fish and chip lunches and British snacks; and hear live entertainment from accordion and ukulele players. The day included a toast to Her Majesty the Queen, in honour of her ninety-second birthday that weekend.

The Hollins Park team decided to bring the beach to the Home as the residents’ more complex health needs, which include dementia and associated behavioural challenges, generally mean that they are not able to visit to the seaside.

This is the sixth consecutive National Care Home Day, an initiative supported by a range of Care Home groups across the country, as well as the National Care Forum. It aims to create stronger links between care homes and their communities; challenge stereotypes about care homes and increase transparency; and tackle isolation and loneliness among care home residents.

Macclesfield MP, David Rutley, who attended the Open Day said, “It was great to visit Hollins Park and I am very grateful to the Home’s staff for all the energy and commitment they put in to organising this special day, which was clearly much enjoyed by the residents and their guests. National Care Home Day is a vital way for care homes to build closer ties with their local communities, help develop lasting friendships for residents and tackle loneliness. I will continue to give this positive initiative my active support.”