Excelcare recently partnered with intergenerational arts charity, Magic Me, to deliver their new creative arts programme SPARK.

Spark gives people who live in care homes the opportunity to take part in playful, multi-sensory creative activities to create moments of connection. Activities are designed to respect the abilities and individuality of everyone involved, regardless of age or experience, and include weaving, light and shadow play, and using natural inks. Since 2021, Magic Me has worked with care homes across the UK to inspire new ideas and approaches to activities, prioritising accessibility for people who are non-verbal or living with advanced dementia.

The project was not only about showing team members how to connect with individuals through engaging art forms, but also to find out the best way to deliver this type of training, which was achieved by separating participating homes into three cohorts.

The first cohort received online training through Zoom, cohort two attended an in-person group training day, and the third cohort received separate onsite visits, where training was delivered in smaller groups inside our homes. Feedback was then gathered from participants in each cohort to find out which training method was the most effective. Although each had its benefits, team members found that the in-person training sessions allowed for greater human connection, which is a vital aspect of the SPARK training outcomes.

Putting their new skills into practice, team members created engaging sensory light displays within their homes. This included group sessions where team members showed individuals how to create unique lighting patterns using torches, coloured cellophane and everyday household items, before giving them the opportunity to have a go themselves! This hands-on approach sparked positive reactions and moments of joy as individuals watched the light patterns they had created come to life.

For those who were unable to take part in group sessions, team members delivered one-to-one experiences in bedrooms, using familiar items from the individuals’ own spaces. This helped ensure each display was personalised, meaningful and exciting.

After completing training with Spark artists Georgia Akbar and Lily Ash Sakula, and hosting their own creative sessions, our teams were keen to share their feedback.
"Even though he’s unable to use his words, he didn’t take his eyes off the patterns shining on the wall the whole time, so lovely to see his engagement"
"This is practical, it is real! I have gone on other trainings that were very fancy and I was excited, but it was just so unrealistic. I can see this working."
"That was the first time Eleanor has sat down. I normally try an activity and she walks off. She sat down!"

The positive results were plentiful, with team members observing successful physical and emotional responses from the people who live in their homes. The light displays using the equipment provided created awe-inspiring moments, and the best part? Sessions could be hosted from wherever a person was spending time, ensuring they were accessible and could be experienced by all.

Learnings from the SPARK project have now been implemented in each Excelcare home, ensuring these special moments of connection can continue to be created.