Winner of Care Home Idol 2016 - Alastair House
Recipient: Alastair House
Date: Wednesday 01 Feb 2017
In an article for carehome.co.uk, editor, Sue Learner writes:
A Welsh ladies' choir have won Care Home Idol 2016 with their rendition of ‘Any Dream Will Do’.
This is the fourth year of the competition run by carehome.co.uk, which is designed to showcase the talent and vibrancy that exists in care homes and challenge people’s preconceptions of residential care.
Contestants comprised of residents and staff from the UK’s 19,000 care homes with the winner chosen by Sylvie Silver, director of National Activity Providers Association.
Ms Silver, who campaigns for care homes to put activities at the heart of their care, revealed that she chose the choir at Alastair House in Rhyl because “they had clearly put a lot of work into their performance prior to the filming. They were all so engaged with the song and were really concentrating on the conductor. I sensed that they gained from the benefits of singing regularly in the choir which is more than a single performance might offer.”
She added: “It was clear from watching all the clips that many residents gain from being encouraged to connect and join in with activities like singing. I was particularly pleased to see individuals gaining attention as we know that spontaneous moments can have as much impact as larger scale group activities.
“Any engagement that lifts the mood can add to wellbeing even if it is for only a few moments. In the past activities were often perceived as just large scale group events, that view is slowly changing as some of the carers in these clips demonstrated so well.”
The singing ladies from Alastair House were “delighted” at winning Care Home Idol 2016, according to Lakhansi Keshwalla, who owns the home. He said: “Daily activities play a vital role at the home and the residents love participating in choir singing every week, it is a joyful experience for them. The video enabled us to share this beautiful moment with everyone. We are a dementia care home and daily activity helps our residents to stimulate their mind and body.”
Care home manager Samantha Leuty set up the choir with co-ordinator Carol Smith. Mr Keshwalla called Carol Smith “the back bone of all this as she also organised the outfits, getting the residents proper dresses to wear with Alastair House sashes.”
To view Alastair House care home’s video, go to www.carehome.co.uk/idol/idol.cfm/id/296