Art therapy at Pendine Park care homes "provides escapism and gives residents a focus away from their illness"

Nearly 20 years ago, Pendine Park care home in Wrexham, Wales, took the remarkable step of employing an artist-in-residence.

It is thought to be the first independent care home to do this.

Since then the organisation has grown and residents have enjoyed group art therapy sessions, photography classes, art gallery visits, laughter therapy sessions and even belly dancing.

The Pendine Park care homes have also been treated to world-class operatic singing and orchestral music workshops as a result of a ground-breaking partnership with the Hallé orchestra, and Welsh National Opera.

This year, these collaborations earned the organisation, the Arts, Business and Community Award, at the Arts and Business Cymru Awards.

Pendine Park owner, Mario Kreft, showed real initiative in realising the benefits of art and music to care home residents.

Artist in residence, Sarah Edwards says: “When I approached him all those years ago, art therapy was virtually unheard of – especially in the care sector.

“He and his wife, Gill, are great lovers of the arts and, luckily for me, they were able to see how art can and does benefit people, enriching their lives.

“I think the arts gives the residents a focus away from their illness, it provides escapism and creativity – and something different. It's important to have quality of life in a care home setting and for people to have access to the arts in general, whether that's art, music or whatever therapy.

“We promote the six senses of care with our residents and staff and the art classes in particular provide many of our residents with a real sense of purpose and fulfillment.

“It is really beneficial because it has a positive impact on the resident's well-being. We believe in person-centred care, we treat everybody as an individual and gear our activities to their needs. So, we try and incorporate things they want to do and art is a passion of many of our residents."

Mr Kreft has found “the arts gives people a sense of purpose and the work that Sarah does has certainly helped residents to lead fulfilled lives".

He says: “I know from the feedback I get from residents and their families how much an impact the arts has in improving their quality of life.”

“For some, it's a new passion and they all enjoy it immensely. It gives them a sense of purpose and enables them to express themselves and it can affect their mood in a very positive way.”

Recently, the home used fragrance and music to give people with dementia that extra-sensory experience.

Creative perfumer Kate Williams, blended fragrances with music from Hallé orchestra musicians.

The residents listened to music from Spain with the smell of oranges in the air and soothing music set to the scent of lavender, while the whiff of the beach set the scene for some water music.

Kate Williams, creative perfumer for Manchester-based Seven Scents, says: “I think it’s very beneficial for people with dementia. A pleasant smell in the room is so uplifting. Our sessions have gone really well and the feedback has been very positive.

Artist in residence, Ms Edwards found “the reaction from the residents was good. We noticed the fragrances stimulated them, particularly the orange smell when they became a lot noisier! The lavender made everyone more chilled and relaxed."

She adds: “The fragrance therapy is part of a wider project to create new training modules for our care staff, promoting the arts and various therapies so we can enrich people's lives.”

Mario and Gill Kreft set up the home in 1985 after looking for somewhere for their elderly grandparents to live.

They wanted somewhere that promoted independence and treated individuals with dignity and respect. Unable to find the right home, they set up their own ‘family care home’.

The Pendine Park care organisation has grown from its first original care home and it now runs two care homes, Gwern Alyn and Hillbury, for older people and two specialist dementia homes, Cae Bryn and Bodlondeb. It also has two nursing homes, Bryn Bella for younger people and Highfield for both younger people and those over retirement age.

Plus Penybryn, which is a centre of excellence caring for younger people with neurological problems caused by acquired brain injury and conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis and stroke.

Mr Kreft is passionate about workforce development and recently set up on site a Teaching Care Centre. He also founded the Wales Care Awards to recognise care staff across Wales.