St Leonards and Bexhill care home residents treated to silent disco

Residents at two St Leonards care homes and another home in Bexhill were treated to a silent disco.
Picture: Coast Care Homes SUS-210403-154843001Picture: Coast Care Homes SUS-210403-154843001
Picture: Coast Care Homes SUS-210403-154843001

Those living at Coast Care Homes’ Whitecliff and Whitebeach homes, in St Leonards, and Whitebriars, in Bexhill, enjoyed a wide variety of music, audio newspapers and poetry.

The silent disco was particularly beneficial to those who are hard of hearing, allowing them a sense of escapism and entertainment in their own world.

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The care homes’ staff extended the use of the equipment to meal times and found the silent disco really relaxed and calmed those who due to their dementia usually struggle to eat.

Picture: Coast Care Homes SUS-210403-154854001Picture: Coast Care Homes SUS-210403-154854001
Picture: Coast Care Homes SUS-210403-154854001

Coast Care Homes hired the headphones from silent disco suppliers Silent Discos 4U from February 16 to February 26.

Lynda Dewhurst said the trial was so successful that the group has decided to invest in purchasing their own silent disco equipment for residents across all three homes to regularly enjoy.

Activities co-ordinator Poppy Bellchambers said: “When I used a good quality speaker for Carol Singing last Christmas, I noticed a different level of engagement in residents who had hearing impairments. This got me thinking about using headphones for residents who have quite severe hearing impairment and remain largely in their bedrooms. Their enjoyment and animation when music was played through the headphones was wonderful to see. I wanted to be able to reach more residents simultaneously and the Silent Disco was the perfect equipment to facilitate that.

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“There was an immediate joyous response when the silent disco headset was fitted. Residents were cheerful and animated, singing out loud and dancing either in their chair or up on their feet. Residents were relaxed and happy, ate better and anxiety levels were lowered. For all residents to be able to hear music/spoken word/radio at their preferred level really united them and created a happy and relaxed home.”

Picture: Coast Care Homes SUS-210403-154904001Picture: Coast Care Homes SUS-210403-154904001
Picture: Coast Care Homes SUS-210403-154904001

Lynda and Kevin Dewhurst, the owners of Coast Care Homes, added: “At Coast Care Homes we aim to make day-to-day life in our homes as fulfilling as possible for every individual resident. Our core belief is to promote choice and independence within a loving and stimulating environment. The Silent Disco has proved great fun and is just one example of how our fantastic care team are always looking for new and innovative ways of providing entertainment and stimulation for our much-loved residents.”