Bath care home to be one of first in UK to create a play garden for young and old

A new care home opening in Bath is one of the first in the UK to create a play garden where young and old can enjoy playing together.

The play garden at Hallmark’s Midford Manor in Bath will be inspired partly by residents’ memories of their own childhood play experiences, with children helping to design the playground in a school competition.

The intergenerational play garden has been borne out of a partnership between Hallmark Care Homes Foundation and the play charity, London Play.

It is hoped that the Midford Manor Play Garden will be the first of many such play gardens to feature in care homes across the country bringing wide-ranging benefits to young and old alike.

Carol Britton, general manager of Midford Manor Care Home, said: “A Play Garden will be invaluable to our residents and their families, it will encourage families to come more often and the visit will be a more pleasant and enjoyable one.

“We are delighted that Hallmark are pushing the boundaries and raising the bar and that we will have the opportunity to add a new and exciting level of innovative engagement to and with our local community. Making care homes accessible and inviting for all generations is absolutely imperative.”

Studies have shown children who regularly mix with older people see improvements to their language development, reading and social skills, while older people are less likely to suffer loneliness and will experience better physical and mental health.

Paul Hocker, director of London Play said: “Every future Play Garden will have the imprint of childhoods past while offering a new generation a place to create their own play memories, in the company of their much-loved older family members.”

Stephen Burke, chief executive of Hallmark Foundation hopes the play garden “will promote intergenerational interaction in the new care home and encourage a family friendly environment where children will love visiting their older relatives. It’s a win-win for all generations and we hope it will encourage other care homes to use their outdoor space creatively.”

Midford Manor is scheduled to open its doors to its first residents this autumn. The new £16m home will provide residential, nursing and dementia care. Facilities will include a café, a cinema, a hairdressing salon and therapy room.

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