Tettenhall care home residents teach young staff secrets of long lost hobbies

Residents at Care UK’s Foxland Grange, Wergs Road, have been stepping back in time to enjoy gardening, baking and learning how to play the piano as part of Long Lost Hobbies.

Residents share their favourite hobbies and try new pastimes with younger generations after a national survey found 77 per cent of adults feel technology is causing skills to being lost, including flower arranging, knitting and woodworking.

To ensure the hobbies of older generations are not forgotten, residents at Foxland Grange have been sharing memories of their past hobbies and teaching younger team members at Foxland Grange some of their skills.

In the garden, resident Kath taught activities coordinator, Amber, how to ensure plants thrive when being repotted, while in the kitchen, residents enjoyed sharing their best baking skills with the catering team. Residents and team members also enjoyed piano lessons by two residents, Alan and Heather, who regularly play for the residents.

Su Edmonds, Foxland Grange general manager, said: "We had a fantastic time taking part in Long Lost Hobbies here at Foxland Grange.

"For those living with dementia, revisiting a past hobby, such as gardening or baking, can help bring back memories, as well as providing an enjoyable way to connect with others through a familiar activity that once brought joy.

"These positive feelings gained from revisiting fond memories can help decrease stress, reduce agitation, and provide a feeling of success and confidence.

"Residents and team members at Foxland Grange have loved revisiting their favourite hobbies and discovering new ways to pass the time from younger generations. It has been wonderful to hear residents talking about how they first discovered their favourite hobby and the fond memories this interest created."

Designed to enable residents to live active lives, while also promoting independence, Foxland Grange, incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The building is configured into neighbourhoods to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among the residents