Intergenerational visits to care home make children 'non-judgemental' and elderly feel loved

Hearing a chorus of nursery rhymes isn’t what you expect to hear walking into a care home, but several homes in South Wales and Gloucestershire has its residents doing just that.

Founder of Baby Singalong Liz turner and a group of happy mums and their babies visit residents at several care homes a week bringing the importance of intergenerational care by reducing loneliness and sharing experiences for both generations to enjoy.

Every Thursday morning Ms Turner and her group visit Llantarnam Lodge Care Home in Newport. There, residents, staff and care home manger Ellen Smith join in with singing songs, playing games, having a cup of tea and most importantly have cuddles with the babies.

By the end of the session ‘the babies are all asleep and everyone is happy’

Ms Turner said: “We seem to be reaching the people traditional activities don’t get to. You turn up with 10 babies, they hear the music and you see all the residents slowly coming in on their Zimmers, it makes my heart burst.

“It’s a whole morning for them and by the end of it, I’m knackered, and the babies are all asleep and everyone is happy.”

Ms Turner has been running Baby Singalong in community centres for the past seven years, then the idea of running these sessions in a care home was initiated by a friend of Ms Turner whose dad was living in a care home.

Ms Turner said: “I started going to his care home every week and would sing to them. I love being around the residents as my mum died from cancer eight years ago [and] I lost my dad to vascular dementia in 2018, so I haven’t got any parents left.

“As soon as I did the first session, I thought this is what I’m supposed to be doing. I’m not the best singer, I’m not a professional guitarist but because I love it so much I can walk into the room and be there for the mums and be there for the old people.

“I don’t care if I look silly, I think my enthusiasm carries it along. I’m so proud of it – it’s so wonderful.”

The 44-year-old is certain of the positive impact these sessions have on the elderly and insists she has noticed changes in their behaviour.

She said: “There’s one lady where the care staff had never seen her smile. In the first week she wouldn’t have anything to do with us, the second week, she was one of the slow ones who came in at the end of the sessions, the third week she’s right in the front. She’s conducting me, she’s laughing, she was playing with the parachute.”

Llantarnam Lodge manager Ms Smith said: “The response from the residents' families has been fantastic. It can get quite emotional here with the interaction between them. They cannot believe the difference when they are here. I have had family members come in mid sessions and have taken photos of their loved ones.”

Both Ms Smith and Ms Turner believes there are so many benefits of intergenerational sessions where children and older people come together. Ms Smith said: “Some of the people who live here do not have family or grandchildren or the family live away and don’t see them growing up so it’s lovely to see a baby on their lap and to cuddle.

“I have spoken to mums and they are getting something from the home where they don’t have an auntie or a gran living two doors down.

"We don’t have that luxury anymore and we are a bit more isolated in our communities now.”

’It’s nice to know children are growing up knowing people have got disabilities’

Ms Smith has also noticed the babies’ confidence grow over the few weeks they have been visiting. She said: “At first, everyone was very quiet. Now they see the ladies and gents and they just laugh, or they give their toys to them.

“Children of that age are so non-judgemental so it’s nice to know children are growing up knowing people have got disabilities.”

Ms Turner said: “These sessions are so important and that’s why the mums love it. They might not have grandparents anymore, so being around old people like this, is important to them. The residents might have to live in special places, but they still need love.”

During the hour there is around 20 minutes of singing traditional nursery rhymes and then well-known songs by Tom Jones and Vera Lynn are sung by the residents before a cup of tea and a chat.

A bond has been built between the residents, mums and babies on their weekly visits. Ms Smith said: “It’s gone down really well. At Llantarnam, we have a mixture of people living here so they all get something out of it.

"Even people I didn’t think would take to it because they do other activities and they have really enjoyed the activities and have made this activity the highlight of their week really. The children and mums have built a bond with some of the residents and each week they look out for them to sit beside.

“It is just lovely to see, and it does pull on your heartstrings to see the connection. After the session, the mums like to chat to the residents, have a cup of tea and a biscuit while their children have free play in the house.”

click here for more details or to contact Llantarnam Lodge Care Home