Dementia in care homes: Using an intergenerational programme to support engagement, community inclusion and positive care environments

Abstract

Background Therapeutic interventions and activities are often used in care homes (CH) to improve the quality of life for residents with dementia. Intergenerational programmes (IPGs) are one form of intervention which may offer benefits to the CH environment and its residents by engaging people with dementia in new relationships and activities with younger people. This study explored the use of an IGP called Up which brings together school children and CH residents for weekly visits. Aims To explore the perceived benefits of intergenerational interactions for older adults with dementia living in a CH, and the CH workforce and environment. To explore perceived benefits to school children, and community inclusion and understandings of dementia. Method 16 semi‐structured interviews and 2 focus groups (relatives of CH residents, CH staff, school teachers, & school children) were analysed using Thematic Analysis. Emergent themes most relating to older adults with dementia are presented. Results Meta‐theme 1, Opportunities to Shine, explores how the intergenerational interactions provided unique and new opportunities for residents to demonstrate their individual personalities and skills, irrelevant of their disabilities or illness. Seeing residents in this way transformed how they were seen by CH staff, relatives and others, allowing them to be re‐humanised and recognised beyond their sometimes dependent states. Meta‐theme 2, Evolving Environments, refers to how intergenerational interactions were perceived to bring new life into the CH environment, uplifting residents and challenging monotony and the care home stereotypes of silence. The positive atmosphere created spilled over into the work environment and staffs approach to their work and the residents. Within the evolving environment and changing perspectives, residents with dementia could be seen as ‘normal’ and integrated members of the wider community, a community now felt more understanding of dementia through the presence of younger generations within the CH. Conclusion These findings provide insight into how IGPs can be used to positively impact the lives of people with dementia living in CH. They too suggest that IGPs can provide the opportunity for environments, both within and outside the CH communally, which are more conducive to caring and understanding approaches to people with dementia.