Jobs

‘Activities of daily living’ can provide a meaningful sense of purpose and achievement for residents. We heard some simple ways that care homes are supporting residents to get involved in care home life: 

• Answering the phone 

• Helping in the kitchen, peeling potatoes, washing up, making their own drinks 

• Folding napkins and towels 

• Laying tables 

• Looking after care home pets 

• Creating vegetable patches in the grounds 

• Organising bingo or a quiz 

• Organising birthday cards for staff or residents 

• Ongoing projects like making decorations, or gardening 

Residents can become ‘resident ambassadors’ and take on a wide variety of roles including representing the views of the other residents, being a buddy to a new resident, giving guided tours to prospective residents, and helping with activity programming, even supporting recruitment. Residents can also be given the opportunity to regularly feedback on their life in the home through anonymous surveys. Care homes can also support the residents to share their skills, for example through Make Do and Mend sessions.