Retailers bring high street shopping experience into care homes

Making sure care home residents can continue to have independence and express choice whilst receiving care can be a hard balance to strike for any care home manager.

Some care homes have started providing retail shopping experiences within the home to harness the opportunities shopping can provide for residents to have fun, be creative and independently make personal choices within their control.

By having clothing, shoes and gift retailers visit a care home, residents can also purchase useful and required items without struggling to go to busy shopping centres or rely on other people to make uninformed choices on their behalf.

Independence

shoe suppliers operate a community service which was launched to help people who struggle to visit stores access to their products.

Residents can select and try on from a range of footwear which is brought directly to the care home and fitted by a trained sales assistant. Allowing residents to take time and pleasure from choosing between products can make the task stimulating and fun as opposed to confusing or stressful.

Brantano’s business to business and local marketing co-ordinator, Jenni Roberts said:

“Having worked in store myself, I’m familiar with relatives and carers of elderly people popping in to buy some slippers or shoes for the people they care for. And too often they have to return to exchange the pair for a different size or fit the next day.

“The service we offer aims to eliminate this inconvenience and ensure that elderly people can select the styles they want and benefit from our expert measure and fit service, all in the comfort of their retirement home.

“It’s a great opportunity for everyone at a home to get together and have a bit of fun trying on the shoes, usually with a cuppa and a biccie too. We offer a wide selection of shoes, from wide-fit styles to a specialist diabetic range, so there’s always something to suit everyone.”

A research study carried out by researchers from the University of Michigan found making shopping choices can restore a person’s sense of personal control over their environment and reduce sadness. Allowing residents to choose items they like and spend time picking new things can help them to feel independent and make choices which reflect their own personality and tastes.

Community experience

Willow Tree Nursing Home hosted a shopping fair for residents and their families selling clothes, handmade accessories, gifts and make up. The care home hosted the event as an opportunity to invite local communities into the home, and care home manager, Gener Teyhopon, said: “We are absolutely delighted the event went so well and it was great to be able to support local businesses.

“Residents and their families enjoyed having them here to display their products, especially as some residents find it difficult to get out. So they loved the chance to browse the stalls and chat to local retailers from the comfort of the home.

“We really cannot thank everyone enough for contributing and look forward to holding more events for residents throughout the rest of this year.”

Vital service

It can also be seen by some as offering a vital service, improving the quality of life for residents and allowing them the chance to pursue their interests and hobbies and buy necessary clothing items.

Steph Hoy, local PR and marketing coordinator, for Bon Marche, a woman’s clothing brand which visits care homes and provides late night shopping activities for residents, said: “Most importantly the care home events mean that although residents can’t get to a shop they don’t have to sacrifice looking good and feeling great.

“As some residents are house bound or unable to leave their care homes, the Bonmarché care home events offer them something to look forward to; plus a chance to shop all the latest styles. Our teams are very sensitive to resident needs and will go above and beyond to visit at a convenient time and fit around the resident’s schedule.

“In addition to care home visits, some stores are able to accommodate mini buses and small resident groups on late night shopping evenings; allowing residents an exciting evening out where they can receive a much more tailored shopping experience at a pace most comfortable to them."

Never too old

It is not only large retailers which are working with care homes to bring the town centre to the care home. Border Fashions is a company specialising in fashion for the over 65s both online and in care homes. The company, which has been operating since 1988, is now run by husband and wife duo Tony and Jenny Charlwood who run a mobile shop which visits care homes throughout the South of England.

They explained: “Our shopping sessions brighten up the day for many of those who are no longer able to get out and about and shop for clothes themselves but who feel they are never too old to want to feel and look good.

“It gives those buying a sense of independence rather than having to rely on a relative or key worker to buy for them. We all know that going into high street shops can be a trying experience for the elderly and also it is often the case that the clothes they want are not available. Shopping by catalogue also has its problems and unless you have a relative who can do it for you when you get older shopping online for many is not possible.

“Our clothes are selected with the elderly in mind being chosen for easy wear and to be easy to care for in what is sometimes a tough washing regime. We like to say that our clothing is traditional but with a modern twist.

“We know from the feedback we receive that the shopping sessions brighten up the day for those who come and is chatted about long after we have gone.

“We rely on the home manager, activity organiser, key worker or relative when we visit as they are the people who understand the ladies and men who are shopping. We would be unable to provide the service without their help. They are a very important part of the shopping session.”

For more information on Brantano Footwear please visit: https://www.brantano.co.uk/inthecommunity