Dementia care home opens its own pub

A care home in Bristol has opened its own pub where residents can sit and have a chat over a pint of beer.

, which is run by the charity Milestones Trust, has become one of the first dementia care homes in the country to have a fully-working nostalgic pub.

Mike Jessup, activities coordinator, said: “It blurs the line between nursing home and normal life.”

Mr Jessup and his colleague Nicola Taylor came up with the idea after seeing how much residents enjoyed the ‘pub afternoons’ they regularly held at the home.

“We’ve opened three times so far,” says Ms Taylor, “and each time it has been relatives, staff and residents socialising together, there were no lines. Arthur spent all afternoon here with his daughters, and they said he was like a new man!”

The bar was built from scratch, while much of the nostalgic paraphernalia was donated by a former pub landlord who now lives at the home. Staff papered the walls and created the wood paneling to make it into an authentic pub. Visitors can play cards, darts, dominoes and other games, and choose tunes on the juke box. The bar is not licensed but does offer free drinks and snacks.

Ms Taylor said: “We wanted it to be a real pub and for you to feel like you could walk up to the bar and get a pint, just like you would in your local.”

The care home also has a nostalgic sweet shop and sensory garden for its 45 residents, who have moderate to advanced stages of dementia.