Remotely Active

At Learning for the Fourth Age, we have had to change how we work hugely during 2020. We miss our face to face visits and time spent with residents and staff in care homes very much indeed. We look forward to being able to come back in to see you all again as soon as it is safe and wish you all the best of health in the meantime.

We are still busy, though, and we are delighted to have our new Remotely Active project after successfully securing some funding from the National Lottery Community Fund. Here are photos of residents from VISTA’s Kathleen Rutland care home using some of the materials and ideas in our first ‘A Grand Day Out’ pack to create paintings of Old John at Bradgate Park.

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And here is some feedback from the second pack that we received via email: “Thank you for the Autumn activity pack and the original kit you gave us! We have tried most of the activities, and whilst some of our groups taking part in the activity itself have been very small, we have done them round the dining table in the lounge and they have been highly successful in creating conversation and reminiscence with both those taking part and those who just chose to sit and watch. I can’t thank you enough, these packs have been so helpful and the content has been really on point for my family members here at Evington. I really can’t wait to receive my Christmas pack. I look forward to the time when we can welcome you back in person!” 
– Andie Louis​, Activities Facilitator, Evington Home

The packs have been disseminated to care settings across the city and county and include craft activities, conversation starters, word games, quizzes and many more ideas. We were also clear that we wanted everyone to have the same starting point so delivered an original set of kit to each care setting taking part in the project too.

We are looking forward to seeing the responses to the Christmas pack that is being created together at the moment, as well as to finding new ways to continue supporting care homes and nursing homes locally in delivering high quality meaningful and learning activities to their older people.

Thank you to Fiona Smith and Rowena Williams for all of their thought, ideas and time in putting together and delivering this project in these unprecedented times.