It never gets old – Knebworth care home residents revisit favourite hobbies

Residents at a care home in Knebworth have been revisiting their favourite hobbies and shared their skills with the younger generation.

Residents at Care UK’s Knebworth, on London Road, have been stepping back in time to enjoy cross stitching and card making with pupils from Knebworth Primary School, as part of a nationwide initiative – Long Lost Hobbies. 

The ‘Long Lost Hobbies’ initiative sees residents in Care UK homes across the country share their favourite hobbies and try new pastimes with younger generations after a national survey found 77% of adults feel technology is the cause of traditional skills being lost, including flower arranging, knitting and woodworking.

During the pandemic, the home received lots of letters and cards from the local pupils, and this was the first time they were reunited in person after two years. Keen to revisit the hobby that had bought them together, a handmade card crafting session seemed like the perfect activity.

Many residents at the home are talented with a needle and thread and chose to teach the pupils the art of cross stitching, after the research revealed that sewing was 12^th on the list of declining hobbies.

Vera Moreira-Henocq, Home Manager at Knebworth, said: “Intergenerational activities are a huge part of life here at Knebworth, so it was fantastic to be joined by Knebworth Primary School to discuss the similarities and differences between hobbies enjoyed by youngsters today and those from the residents’ childhoods. 

“Intergenerational relationships have proven to be incredibly enriching, as they provide an opportunity for younger and older generations to learn from each other. These relationships can be particularly beneficial for older people, as they can offer a sense of purpose and prompt conversations as residents reflect on their younger years. We loved welcoming pupils to join residents for an afternoon of crafting and sewing – two activities clearly loved by both generations!

“We’d like to say a big thank you to Knebworth Primary School for taking part. We loved passing on our love of sewing and crafting onto the next generation, and we can’t wait to see what they create using their new found skills!”

Knebworth delivers a full range of residential care for older people, including short-term respite care, nursing care and specialist care for people living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. 

For more information on Knebworth, please call Customer Relations Manager, Paula Brown, on 01438 893411, email paula.brown@careuk.com, or visit careuk.com/knebworth.

For top tips on how you and your loved ones can revisit forgotten pastimes, please visit: careuk.com/long-lost-hobbies.