Dining through the decades – Leamington Spa care home takes a trip down memory lane

Home news

Feb 15, 2021

Residents at a care home in Leamington Spa have taken a trip down memory lane as part of a nationwide initiative to rediscover their favourite foods from the past.

Care UK’s Priors House, on Old Milverton Lane, celebrated every decade between 1950 and 1980 to help residents rediscover their favourite foods.

To make sure every resident at the home could take part in the celebrations despite the current restrictions, the home hosted a mini party in each of the home’s suites – kicking off with a fondue party to mark the 1950s. Residents were then treated to banana splits for a trip back to the swinging sixties, crepes to celebrate the 70s, and a pizza party to illustrate the rise of convenient foods in the 80s.

The ‘Food for Thought’ initiative sees Care UK homes across the country take part in activities which encourage memory sharing and the use of food as a tool for reminiscence.

Francine Summers, Home Manager at Priors House, said: “We had a wonderful time dining through the decades and reminiscing about our favourite foods from the past.

“Reminiscence activities have many positive effects for older people, particularly those living with dementia. Re-connecting with the past can improve mood, encourage communication and provide a topic and stimulus for residents to engage with.

“Everyone had a wonderful time chatting about their favourite foods, and it was wonderful to hear about everyone’s fond memories of their younger years, from their childhoods in the 1950s to raising their families through the 70s and 80s.”

As part of the project, Care UK has also teamed up with BBC’s Back in Time for… presenter and historian, Dr Polly Russell, to create a special tasting menu for residents to enjoy. Designed to be used a sensory tool to encourage reminiscence in older people, the menu features iconic foods from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, and has been used as part of an interactive storytelling session, hosted by Dr Polly, to encourage reminiscence.

Dr Polly commented: “I am delighted to have partnered with Care UK for this project. There really is something incredibly special about the way food can evoke memories and emotions. Just one flavour or smell can prompt a different memory and emotion for each individual, which is why food can be such a powerful tool for memory recall.”

Priors House is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. Designed to enable residents to live enjoyable and fulfilling lives, the care home has its very own cinema and hair salon, and there is plenty of space, both indoors and out, for relaxation and recreation.

To find out more about Priors House, please contact Customer Relations Manager, Maria Cridge, at maria.cridge@careuk.com, or phone 01926 675 217.

To find out more about Care UK’s partnership with Dr Polly Russell, and for more top tips on how you and your loved ones can get involved at home, visit careuk.com/food-for-thought