Arts and culture in every care home?

Author(s)

NATIONAL ACTIVITY PROVIDERS ASSOCIATION

Publisher(s):

Baring Foundation

Publication year:

2021

This report presents the findings from a consultation that asked: What would it require for all care homes to offer their residents access to relevant creative and cultural opportunities on a daily basis? This consultation was commissioned by the Baring Foundation and conducted by National Activity Providers Association (NAPA) Arts in Care Homes as the first stage in a national (England) conversation about what a daily offer of arts and care homes might look like. The consultation engaged care homes residents, managers, staff and activity coordinators and residents’ families. Data collection included: 114 surveys were filled in by 67 care homes in England; artist-led workshops held in five care homes; 18 case studies and four fictional portraits were created. A key finding was that there was strong support for the desire for a daily arts and culture offer. Another key finding was that the families and friends of residents expressed a strong interest in joining in with arts and cultural engagement alongside their family member or friend. The main barriers to achieving a daily offer in the view of participating care homes and barriers to delivering arts and creative engagement generally were: time constraints; lack of specialist knowledge; staff structure and how teams work together; and resources in terms of ideas. Key enablers included: community and arts partnerships; culture shift in terms of belief in necessity of regular creative engagement; more specialist training in arts and activities for people with complex needs; and more resources in terms of creative ideas. This report will inform and be followed by an independent discussion paper on how the different parts of the system can best play their parts and be resourced to do so. (Edited publisher abstract)