A home in Cheshire that specialises in dementia care has launched a new initiative to help those living within its community to remember former residents who have passed away.
Three Bridges Nursing Home is a vibrant, community-focused home, providing dementia care and nursing care to the elderly people of Warrington. It is part of the Orchard Care Homes portfolio, which has 23 care homes across the north of England and the Midlands.
Many of the residents who lived at the care home and have sadly passed away either served in or lived through conflicts such as World War II. To show respect and encourage remembrance amongst current residents, the home has installed an illuminated poppy tree ahead of Remembrance Sunday, with each poppy pinned to the tree representing a past resident who has died.
People with dementia often experience memory loss as this affects areas of the brain involved in creating and retrieving memories. But through activities and initiatives, people can sometimes be encouraged to unlock lived experiences they thought they had forgotten. Since launching the poppy tree this month, residents have been recalling and sharing stories from their past.
Norma Birchall, who is a resident at the home, said: “I’ve just seen all the names on the poppies. It’s brought a tear to my eye. I remember them so well. It’s so pretty, I love poppies.”
Wendy Allison, Home Administrator at Three Bridges Nursing Home, said: “We felt it was important to not only remember those we have lost in conflict but also our much-missed residents, many of whom lived through times of war. A dedicated poppy with the name of each passed resident on a lit tree was not distressing for our current residents to see, but is encouraging them to reminisce and access their memories. Many visitors have said it is a beautiful tribute and we have shared photos of individually named poppies to the families of those who have passed.
“This tree is also an important initiative for our staff as well as our current residents, allowing the whole community to talk fondly about people who we cared for so deeply.”
The poppy tree is the latest in a line of respectful tributes that Three Bridges Nursing Home has introduced in recent years. The home now lights a candle on any day that a former resident's funeral is taking place, involving residents in the process to help aid them in their grief. This gesture also acts as a reminder that staff are thinking of the family and recognise that colleagues may be struggling themselves on that day.
Three Bridges Manager Jamie Ashton said: “Remembrance Sunday is the perfect time for our community to remember those we have cared for, their families and the small difference we have made. Rooted in our hearts, this tree stands as a visual tribute to these cherished memories.”
