Care home residents at Moat House in Great Easton have been putting on their dancing shoes for music and movement sessions.
The sessions are led by Andy from Frederick Douglas Care Home Entertainment, and are filled with dancing, singing and interactive use of musical instruments, aiming to create a vibrant and joyful atmosphere.
Sessions are held twice a month, with each session following a theme. Andy selects music which is both age-appropriate and fitting for the theme.
To begin, residents do a gentle warm-up using instruments and props, and gradually build up to more active movement.
Whether residents are dancing on their feet or in their chairs, the sessions are adjusted to suit their abilities.
The home's wellbeing coordinator Kerry Pennock said: "Our residents truly engage in these sessions.
"Andy is fantastic - he’s hands-on and uses props to encourage gentle movement without the residents even realising they’re exercising.
"This helps improve their balance and overall health and wellbeing.
"Our residents love the fun and friendship these sessions bring. They come together without fear of judgment, embracing the moment and expressing themselves freely.
"Some songs even evoke different emotions - happiness, sadness - but it’s always a safe space for them to experience and share those feelings."
Home manager Jade Smith also highlighted the impact of these sessions.
She said: "One of the most rewarding aspects of these sessions is seeing how familiar songs can encourage even our non-verbal residents to sing along and interact in their own way.
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"This, to me, is what our work is all about. If our residents can spend an hour smiling, laughing, and forgetting their worries, we’ve done our job."
To find out more about the music and movement sessions at Moat House Care Home, or to find out more about the care home, you can get in touch with customer relations manager George Byford at 07399 062 647 or via email at george.byford@countrycourtcare.com.
Frederick Douglas Performing Arts Academy - which provides the Care Home Entertainment service - was founded by mother-and-daughter team Deborah Marks and Leanne Field, and named in honour of Deborah's father.
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