Inter-generational arts provider Magic Me has teamed up with Punchdrunk Enrichment to launch a new performing arts programme in Greenhive care home in Peckham, South London.
The care home, run by Anchor, has had a room of its premises transformed into a village green, complete with a florist’s shop, phone box, real foliage and smells of fresh cut grass, in a bid to encourage residents to immerse themselves in a new fantasy world.
Susan Langford MBE, Director of Magic Me said: "This programme came out of a desire to challenge the ageist notion that older people, including those living with dementia, might not enjoy or be able to participate in cutting-edge work like Punchdrunk’s wonderful immersive worlds.
“Having worked in care homes for over 25 years, the programme has allowed Magic Me to support some of the most exciting companies in the country to bring their work to a care home audience for the first time. Together we have helped them develop their practice for this specific audience without dumbing down or diluting their work.”
The programme has encouraged residents to come together to form the village committee of Greenhive Green, gathering weekly in the fictional world for committee meetings that are part-soap opera, part-game and part-workshop. Driven by the story of Greenhive Green’s ongoing rivalry with neighbouring village Blarford, residents and care home staff participate in multi-sensory activities which have varied from writing poetry to planting flowers.
The project will culminate in a celebration of the committee and their achievements, with special guests including singer-songwriter Beatie Wolfe. Each resident will then be invited to their own individual thank you ceremony with Punchdrunk Enrichment’s facilitators.
Peter Higgin, Enrichment Director for Punchdrunk, said: "We are constantly looking to deliver high impact work which both challenges our practice and challenges notions about what is possible within participatory settings. Our ambition for the project has been to give the residents including those living with dementia an empowering and magical experience. The residents and staff have been the real stars – their energy, humour and willingness to come on the journey with us has been humbling.”
Greenhive Green is the first project in a two year programme of residencies set up by Magic Me, hosted in four London care homes run by Anchor, England’s largest not-for-profit provider of care and housing for older people.
Connie Oppong MBE, Manager of Greenhive, which was the first care home in London to be rated "Outstanding" by the Care Quality Commission said: “This project has proved to be a fantastic addition to the activities we organise here. The residents have thoroughly enjoyed themselves and have been actively looking forward to the sessions each week. We have had positive feedback from residents’ relatives about the impact of this work. One family told us their father has shown a marked difference in his confidence and ability to engage over the weeks he has been involved in Greenhive Green.”
