Oaklands House resident’s enjoyed taking part in various activities throughout St David’s Day. Some residents chose to do arts and crafts and produced some lovely colourful and creative pictures. Arts and crafts can be a powerful way for people with dementia to not only express themselves but also stimulate the mind, which helps with thinking ability. Our “Magic Table” was also set up with a daffodil and lamb theme, again an enjoyable and beneficial activity. Other residents chose to look at books related to all things Welsh.
Another group chose to join in with the facts and quizzes activity, using resources from NAPA, which stands for The National Activity Providers Association and is the UK’s leading activity and engagement charity who support care services to prioritise wellbeing and promote activity, arts, and engagement.
We read their information sheets of fascinating facts on St David’s Day, Wales, Daffodils, and Leeks. After we had read and discussed the information, we had a quiz based on the fact that sheets and the group were pleased to be able to provide many correct answers. This activity created the opportunity for reminiscence about time spent in Wales, Welsh relatives, holidays, flowers, and food, and involved much humorous conversation and laughter.
Resident John, recited some poetry for us, The Welsh Sea by James Elroy Flecker and I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth and although not Welsh, the references to daffodils gave us an association to Wales. Residents Irene and Brenda singing and dancing to a rendition of Tom Jones songs topped off the afternoon wonderfully!
