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

Home news

Feb 15, 2021

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

Care UK’s Winchcombe Place, on Maple Crescent, enjoyed a retro-style buffet as part of their 1950s and 1960s era-themed celebrations, which aimed to rediscover residents’ favourite foods throughout the decades.

Residents were treated to a buffet featuring nibbles and dishes, including Scotch eggs, vol-au-vents, a cheese and pineapple hedgehog, as well as old fashioned biscuits and sweet treats. Team members got into the spirit of the era by dressing up in 1950s and 1960s outfits and accessories.

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.

Kerry Thompson, Home Manager at Winchcombe Place, 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 the 1950s and 1960s.”

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.”

Winchcombe Place is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential, nursing, dementia and short-term respite care. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities and includes its own cinema, hair salon and café.

To find out more about Winchcombe Place, call Customer Relations Manager, Vicki Lambourne, on 0333 321 1923, or email vicki.lambourne@careuk.com

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