Finding new and interesting activities to occupy residents during the COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing challenge for Care Homes. The purpose of this page is to share examples of activities that have worked well in some settings, and to signpost to resources you may find useful.

Some of these ideas will undoubtedly be on your radar already. If so, we are keen to hear about other approaches you’ve taken to help enhance the well-being of residents. Please provide details in the comments box below, and we’ll update this page as and when information is submitted.

Arts and Crafts

Crafting activities of all kinds are known to have a therapeutic effect and can help improve focus and concentration. Here are some ideas you may wish to try out with residents interested in arts and crafts:

• Creating crafty items, such as greetings cards for loved ones. Residents can be encouraged to get creative with items that would usually end up in the rubbish (newspapers, yoghurt pots, etc.) and compete with each other to turn ‘trash’ into ‘treasure’.
• Creating ‘mood boards‘ with cuttings from magazines and newspapers, photographs and/or images the residents have drawn themselves. These are basically collages that encompass all the things that make the individual feel happy or nostalgic.
• Colouring for adults has become hugely popular in recent years. You can find printable images by searching online, or purchase colouring books on a wide range of themes.
• Creative writing activities can be hugely beneficial to a person’s well-being. Residents can be asked to share their favourite memory, describe their childhood best friend, or greatest achievement. This doesn’t have to involve a pen and paper – individuals who would like to share their experiences can do so verbally.
• Food-related activities – Residents could participate in competitions requiring them to decorate food items such as biscuits or cakes.

Well-being & Mindfulness

Taking time out to pay close attention to our own thoughts, feelings and surroundings can improve our sense of inner peace and overall well-being immeasurably. It’s not always easy to switch off and focus the mind in this way, but there are numerous resources online that can help.                        

• Reminiscence – As mentioned above, encouraging residents to reminisce can have a significant impact on their personal well-being. The Alzheimer’s Society’s website features resources and ideas for reminiscence activities.
• Meditation – This practice is popular with many nowadays, and can be effective in achieving a sense of calm by focusing on breathing and quietening the mind. This is sometimes done to music – a selection of guided meditation playlists are available on YouTube.  
• Sound therapy – In a similar vein to meditation, sound therapy promotes mental downtime and a sense of inner peace. Sound waves and harmonic vibrations are created using instruments and voice. YouTube features a range of sound therapy videos. There is a wide range of sounds to explore – residents can try a few and choose which works best for them.
• Learning a new skill – This can be done individually or in groups, and can involve activities such as learning basic phrases in a different language. This could extend to researching the culture and history of a foreign country. The Creation Station website includes a number of ideas for well-being enhancing activities for all ages.                              

Music

Music is undoubtedly the most powerful means of evoking emotions and feelings of nostalgia. It reaches parts of the human brain like no other medium can, and its benefits are well documented. Here are just some examples of how music can feature in group activities within care settings:

• Group singalong – This is a fun and interactive way of bringing residents together through music. You could create a playlist of popular songs the residents will be familiar with. YouTube includes many videos where the song lyrics appear on the screen, karaoke-style. When searching for a song, include the words ‘lyric version’.
• ‘Name that Tune!’ – This activity can be done in teams and can involve one person humming a song for others to guess, or a segment of a song can be played and residents have to identify the artist and song title.
• BBC Music Memories is a website dedicated to helping people connect with their most powerful memories. Users can search for specific genres, and it also features an archive of radio shows titled ‘Memory Radio’.
• Music for Dementia is a website designed to emphasise the importance of music therapy for people with dementia. Providers will find useful information and ideas for music-based activities.
• Playlist for Life – This initiative was founded in 2013 to share the power of personal playlists for people with dementia. The website enables users to create a soundtrack to their lives, helping to evoke that ‘flashback feeling’.

Other Ideas & Useful Resources

• Visiting Booths – Some providers have purpose built booths that allow loved ones to visit residents while adhering to social distancing. Not all premises will be suitable for this, but the booths have been popular during the pandemic and allowed for visits to continue without the risk of introducing the virus into the home.
• Virtual Walking Tours – This has become something of a YouTube phenomenon. You can search for recorded walking tours of a large number of destinations. Production quality tends to vary, but they offer some escapism and provide an interesting overview of each location.
• Virtual Walking Tours – This has become something of a YouTube phenomenon. You can search for recorded walking tours of a large number of destinations. Production quality tends to vary, but they offer some escapism and provide an interesting overview of each location.
• Live Stream Theatre – Keep an eye out for plays and musicals that are being streamed online and may be interesting or entertaining for residents. There may be a small cost, but some are available for free.
• Video Call with a Guest Speaker –Speakers who usually attend groups to give talks on specialist subjects are now turning to video conferencing to connect with audiences. Topics can range from local history to botany, and residents can ask questions and share any relevant knowledge or experience they have.
• Neath Port Talbot Council’s Activity Booklet for Care Homes – Colleagues in NPT Council have created this useful resources, which includes some more great ideas for activities. Click here to view.
• South London-based Health Innovation Network have produced a catalogue of activities.
• ‘Corridor Connections’ – This has proved successful in premises where residents can sit in the doorways of their rooms and still be within sight of each other. Staff can co-ordinate activities such as bingo or a quiz, and residents can participate without having to mix in a shared space. This approach has been taken by some care homes during an outbreak of COVID-19 to ensure residents remained as socially distanced as possible while still providing the opportunity to interact with each other.
• A spreadsheet featuring details of activities undertaken at NPT-based care homes during the pandemic can be found here.

We’d love to hear about other activities that have worked well for you and your residents. Please give details below and we’ll aim to share as many as examples as we can: