Anybody who thinks that residents at Coate Water Care residential care homes see nothing but the same old faces every day would be sorely mistaken! The seven homes across four counties are nothing if not embedded in their respective local communities and they regularly welcome all kinds of visitors, from dementia-oriented fitness instructors and musical entertainers to local churchgoers and schoolchildren.

In typical Coate Water Care fashion, Mockley Manor Care Home in Warwickshire prides itself on being a big part of its local community in the picturesque village of Ullenhall and the surrounding area. But the latest visitors to the extensively refurbished home are a first … cub scouts!

Tanworth-in-Arden Cub Scouts recently became Dementia Friends as part of their ‘A Million Hands’ project. The Friends scheme is a social movement launched by Alzheimer's Society to raise awareness about dementia and involves people undertaking a one-hour information session about dementia and committing to a dementia-friendly action.

The visit to Mockley Manor was a chance for the cubs to learn more about dementia and get inspired to think of new ways in which they can support people affected by the condition. They learned about the different types of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, heard examples of how it affects people, and talked about how they could turn this new understanding into action. 

Seventeen cubs aged between eight and ten years-old attended the one-hour session led by Dementia Friends champion, Nigel Campbell. Rob Pain, assistant Cub Scout leader, said, "It was clear that the cubs had not only learnt a lot in a short space of time but were more determined to help those affected by dementia. The NHS estimates that there are 3,943 people over 65 living with dementia in south Warwickshire, and the condition affects many more people through carers, family members and colleagues being exposed to it.”

“The visit from the Tanworth-in-Arden Cubs as part of their ‘A Million Hearts’ project certainly brought a smile to the residents’ faces,” says Rachael Crocker, Care Home Manager at Mockley Manor. “The boys and girls are working hard towards their community badge and are looking at dementia as a project.”

“One of their tasks was to make memory boxes that residents with dementia will use to put objects of importance in to help them reminiscence. The highlight of the evening was when the cubs presented the boxes to the residents. Overall, the visit was a huge success and the residents and cubs were so animated about seeing each other, talking about their lives and their pasts, they even went over their planned time as they were having so much fun. It was a great evening.”

To find out about residential care at Mockley Manor or to arrange a visit to any of Coate Water Care’s seven outstanding care homes in Swindon, Gloucester, Worcestershire and Warwickshire, please contact our ‘Welcome Team’ Michelle or Geraldine on 01793 821200.