The sense of community plays a crucial role in the daily life of a care home throughout the entire year. However, this feeling of togetherness takes on an even greater significance during the festive season. The holiday celebrations provide unique opportunities for residents to engage in communal activities, share cherished traditions, and create joyful memories that uplift their spirits, making the festive season a truly special time in the care home.

One of the most beloved traditions in care homes is getting together and creating homemade Christmas cards. This engaging activity allows residents to tap into their creativity, designing and personalising cards that reflect their unique personalities and holiday spirit. As they delve into this creative activity, residents not only find joy in crafting but also experience meaningful social interactions with one another, fostering a sense of community and connection. 

In addition to the social benefits, engaging in hands-on craft projects is crucial for maintaining fine motor skills in older adults. These skills are vital for daily activities and overall independence. For individuals living with dementia, using craft materials can be especially beneficial.

Christmas Card Designs

Slip into your Christmas jumpers and set the mood with the sounds of your favourite Christmas songs while you engage in our creative Christmas Card Designs activity! This engaging and interactive session is a fantastic starting point for a creative card-making experience with residents.

Participants can explore a variety of card design ideas, ranging from simple to complex, ensuring that everyone can join in, regardless of their skill or ability level. This inclusive card-making activity also allows residents to connect and fosters a sense of community within the care home.

Suitable for:

• Dementia friendly
• Visual impairment
• Group & small group
• Hearing impairment
• Independent
• One to one
• Reduced mobility
  
  

Bauble Christmas Card

Unleash your creativity this season with an engaging how-to guide from our partners at The Creation Station, the UK's most recommended arts and crafts activity company. This comprehensive guide, which you can download on our Wellness and Activities platform, provides step-by-step instructions for crafting beautiful festive bauble Christmas cards.

Furthermore, you can view their engaging tutorial video, which provides visual guidance and inspiration for residents and care staff.

So, what are you waiting for?! Download the guide now and immerse yourself in a fun and artistic crafting experience!

Suitable for:

• Dementia friendly
• Visual impairment
• Group & small group
• Hearing impairment
• One to one
• Reduced mobility
  
  

Christmas Postcards

This delightful tradition is a wonderful opportunity for residents to spread joy, creativity, and kindness during the holiday season! Whether residents write to a friend, family member, or someone special, this activity encourages participants to reflect on the joy of Christmas and share that warmth with others.

Our Wellness and Activities platform provides an extensive array of Christmas postcard templates designed to cater to various tastes and preferences. Residents can explore a selection of themes, colours, and artistic styles, ensuring they find the perfect design that reflects their unique personality and holiday spirit.

And don’t forget, make sure to provide art supplies to the residents, including coloured pens, pencils, glitter, stickers, and other decorative materials, to enhance the creative experience.

Suitable for:

• Dementia friendly
• Visual impairment
• Group & small group
• Hearing impairment
• Independent
• Reduced mobility
  
  

Residents can also send photos of their Christmas cards via our resident experience tool

Our innovative, research-driven resident experience platform, which complies with all regulators across the UK, offers various features, including virtual visits, video calls, and other digital communication tools, that facilitate seamless interactions, ensuring that residents feel supported and connected at all times.

The platform allows care staff to capture and share meaningful moments with residents' family members, allowing them to gain valuable insight into their loved ones' daily lives.

Families receive a more comprehensive view of their loved ones' experiences by sharing everything from activities to special moments. This immersive approach helps strengthen the bond between families and residents and fosters a sense of connection and engagement.

If a resident wishes to create a festive Christmas card next week, the activity coordinator simply needs to:

• Create a calendar event using the resident experience tool - "Help Desmond create a Christmas card."
• Desmond participates in the activity and creates the Christmas card.
• At the end of the activity, staff can use the platform to take a picture of the card and send it to Desmond’s family members, who will receive it via the platform's app.
• Staff can also share photos of the card as a collage on their Digital Signage screens.

That's just a tiny part of our resident experience tool, which offers so much more.

Click here to learn more!