Celebrating African culture at Aliwal Manor

An African Experience Day was recently hosted at Aliwal Manor Care Home to immerse everyone in the vibrant culture of the continent.

Earlier in the year, Aliwal Manor marked Chinese New Year by transforming the home with themed décor, sampling traditional dishes, and taking part in activities linked to the celebration. The whole community thoroughly enjoyed exploring Chinese culture, so Lifestyle Coordinator Mandy pledged to host more immersive cultural days.

The latest cultural day gave people living at Aliwal Manor an opportunity to experience the wonders of Africa. To complement the traditional décor, Mandy arranged for ZooLab to bring some of their most exotic African animals to meet the care home community.

Snakes, bearded dragons, and giant snails were just some of the creatures ZooLab introduced. Experienced handlers offered guidance on how to hold them safely. As each person interacted with the animals, the team shared fascinating facts about their natural habitats, diets, and behaviours.

To enhance the cultural experience, Mandy invited a group of dancers to perform a traditional African routine. The lively music and upbeat movements encouraged everyone to join in, with many people trying out the steps they had seen.

After an exciting morning, the afternoon took on a more relaxed pace. African dishes were served for lunch, and Mandy brought out a large map of Africa that she had made. Conversations about the great plains, pyramids, and personal travel memories sparked interest among those who had visited Africa before, as well as those learning about it for the first time.

African Culture Day was a huge success at Aliwal Manor, and plans are already underway for the next stop on their cultural journey — America.

click here for more details or to contact Excelcare Aliwal Manor Care Home