Arts and culture is revolutionising care homes in the UK

Elderly lady

Care Homes across the country are increasingly under pressure, with an aging population and local councils cutting budgets, it’s not a surprise that the mental and physical health of care workers and residents are being affected.

Multiple studies have shown how the arts have an enormous capacity to positively affect health outcomes. For example, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing noted the growing body of evidence ‘which suggests a relationship between arts engagement and wellbeing in people with dementia’.

The capacity of the arts to stimulate real change should not be underestimated whether it be in the form of drama, music or art therapy.

Friday 28 June marks the 7th successful year of Care Home Open Day, where care homes around the UK open their doors showing how much of a key part the community they are.

This year the Care Home Open Day theme is the role of Arts in Care. Care Home Open Day encourages homes to open their doors to celebrate a different theme each year, with a few key values at its heart: friendship, making connections and celebrating vulnerable people.

Visitors will be able to look around thousands of independent care homes, meet staff, chat to residents and of course join in the party.

Professor Martin Green OBE, CEO of Care England says: “Care homes are a community’s best kept secret.  Whilst every day is an open day, Care Home Open Day is a particularly special event whereby homes up and down the country engage in a range of different activities.

“Commissioners need to focus on the individual and part of that is the realisation that wellbeing is an intrinsic part of the physical, mental and emotional health of those in receipt of care.  On behalf of all the many care homes participating in Care Home Open Day I would encourage you to visit, you will be sure to have a great day out.”