Taking a look in 'The Pantry'

Wellburn Care Homes have recently redesigned and reinvented the dining experience for their residents. 'The Pantry' shows that form and function, can and must work together.

When we started to look at how we delivered food to our residents, across all fourteen of our homes last year, unknown at the time, it would subsequently lead to a quiet interior design revolution.

The journey started, with a chance meeting between our management team and the team from Apetito – the leading specialist food producer for the care sector. The meeting went well, and after a highly successful trial period, Apetito’s menus were rolled out across all of our fourteen homes.

The delicious, nutritious and sustainable meals radically changed the way we delivered meals to our residents. Not only in the standard and consistency of the dishes, but from an operational point of view too. The new approach was less cumbersome, needing less space and in most homes, freeing up room that was previously utilised as kitchen and preparation space.

At the same time as this transition was in full swing, our Executive Chairman, Rachel Beckett was drawing on her many years of previous experience, as a successful interior designer in London, reviewing ways in which spaces across Wellburn’s homes were being used.

Rachel was beginning to understand just how big a difference, spaces and interior design could make to the lives of her residents – in particular, those living with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Rachel immediately identified that the decision to change the way food was delivered, created an opportunity to explore the spaces in which food was being served and enjoyed.

The quiet revolution had started. Rachel’s aim? To take a radical step away from the stereotypical care home dining room, and transform it into a dining ‘experience’. The idea was there, and the project needed a name. Of the many suggested, ‘The Pantry’ was chosen.

Work started, and plans were drawn up which allowed for everything to be stripped back, ostensibly working with a blank canvas. The new experiential approach meant that research and improved understanding into dementia and Alzheimer’s, could be considered and built into the project from the very first moodboard.

“I wanted to create a ‘heart of the home’ dining experience. We called the project The Pantry, something we hoped would evoke memories. It’s such a perfect name.” Rachel goes on. “Research into the elderly, especially those who live with dementia and Alzheimer’s, showed time and again, that evoking memories and adding objects into the room, that are typical of such spaces, visually remind residents what the area is used for”.

With clever use of the space, different areas to dine and relax were introduced, with tables for two, wheelchair accessible tables, booths, right up to larger more family orientated tables.

“It was also important that we tried to reduce as many visual and physical barriers as possible. We wanted residents to be able to move around the space, freely and uninhibited.” Explains Rachel.

Another key aim was to create a space that promoted casual unplanned interaction. “We solved that by introducing a few different features. One of which is the main drop down unit , which is lowered to table height. This allows residents to sit together and get involved with the preparation and garnishing of certain dishes and recipes. The feature is one of many around the The Pantry that’s perfect for interaction” explains Rachel.

The Pantry was completed at our Ryton Towers home in September, and the results are spectacular. Early feedback from residents, their families and staff have been overwhelmingly positive. Discussions are now in full swing on rolling The Pantry out across more of other homes.

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