Care Home Idol changes perceptions showing 'caring and loving care homes'

carehome.co.uk, the leading care home review website, has launched Care Home Idol 2016.

This popular talent contest was set up back in 2013 to reveal the warmth and fun in many care homes and showcase the hidden talents of people living there.

Care Home Idol has received the backing of MPs and is supported by NAPA (National Association for Providers of Activities for Older People). This year, both the residents/ staff and the entertainers’ categories are being judged by NAPA’s director, Sylvie Silver.

She called Care Home Idol a "brilliant initiative" and said: "At NAPA we believe that every individual has talents that need to be unleashed and competitions like this encourage and support care teams to do just that.”

Care Home Idol plays vital role promoting activities in care homes

Davina Ludlow, director of carehome.co.uk, said: “We are delighted that Sylvie Silver from NAPA will be judging Care Home Idol 2016. NAPA does invaluable work in promoting activities in care homes and we support it in its aim for activity programmes to be an integral part of every care home as it is crucial to keep residents motivated and stimulated.

“We know that Care Home Idol, as well as showing the outside world the close-knit communities that exist in many care homes, is playing a vital role in promoting activities in care homes which can have a huge impact on residents’ mental and physical health.

“We would like to see as many care homes as possible take part in our annual talent contest and look forward to receiving your entries.”

Over the past three years, carehome.co.uk has had some notable entries which have included the Oldest Choir in the World and Waterfield House care home which filmed their residents doing a version of the infamous Harlem Shake.

Welcomed by care homes

Care Home Idol is an initiative that has been welcomed by care homes all over the UK, with Karen Allen, manager of Waterfield House care home, saying: “The residents absolutely loved performing the Harlem Shake and still talk about it now – the video brings a smile to all who watch it”. She found that Care Home Idol gave a boost to care home staff as all too often the media concentrates on negatives stories about care homes and there is “no good publicity to show there are some really caring and loving places out there".

Anchor care homes also did their best to change people’s perceptions of care homes with their Care Home Idol entry. Their residents formed the Anchor Community Band and wrote and performed their own charity single, See Yourself, which reached number one in the Amazon singles chart and number 17 in the official indie chart.

Their powerful song told younger people that the older generation are exactly the same as them, with just a bit more life experience.

Winner of Care Home Idol 2015

Last year, Maidstone Care Centre in Kent won the coveted title of Care Home Idol 2015.

Maidstone Care Centre entered a skit, which was a take on Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. The seven-minute short film included both residents and staff and was written by Brian Thornton, the care home’s maintenance officer.

Resident Colin Adams who starred in the video said it made him feel like a star.

“Every day I looked forward to the filming I missed it when it was over. All the families would ask me how it was going, it made me feel like a star,” said the 78-year-old.

To view Maidstone Care Centre’s video go to www.carehome.co.uk/idol/idol.cfm/id/231

Winner of Care Home Idol 2014

In 2014, it was Langley Haven care home that won the top spot with the residents’ rendition of ‘Maybe it’s Because I am a Londoner’. Resident Doris Southgate, who took part in Care Home Idol, called it an “important achievement”.

To view, Langley Haven care home’s video, go to www.carehome.co.uk/idol/idol.cfm/id/132

Winner of Care Home Idol 2013

In 2013, the first year of the competition, singing duo, staff member Bev Temple and resident Gladys Stephens won with the classic Elvis Presley song ‘Are you Lonesome Tonight’.

Their entry showed the strong bond that care home staff can form with the residents. When Gladys Stephens heard they had won the first Care Home Idol competition, she said: “I am really pleased to have won the competition. It has been really good fun.”

To view the video go to www.carehome.co.uk/idol/idol.cfm/id/63

To enter Care Home Idol 2016

Any care home residents and/or staff who have performed any form of entertainment at their care home from Feb 1st 2016 to mid-January 2017, and have a video of the performance can enter Care Home Idol.

Similarly for professional entertainers who have performed any form of entertainment at a care home from Feb 1st 2016 to mid-January 2017, the video entered may not necessarily have been filmed at the stated care home, but it will be the same act as performed at the stated care home. carehome.co.uk will announce the winners on the 1st February 2017.

National Activities Providers Association (NAPA) director Sylvie Silver will be selecting the winners, the number of Likes and Views will be taken into account, but the final decision is solely at her discretion. There are two categories: residents/staff and entertainers. The winners will receive a trophy and a cash prize.

For more information go to www.carehome.co.uk/idol/