Tuesday 30 July marks International Friendship Day – an initiative run by the UN to celebrate the role that friendship plays in protecting and promoting peace between different nations and cultures. Observed annually, the day offers the perfect chance to reflect on how friends enrich our lives, support our dreams and encourage us when times are hard.
In residential care, it is very important that people have the opportunity to maintain friendship links outside the home – and make friends within it among fellow residents and staff. Friendship is vitally important for mental and emotional wellbeing, as well as physical health. People with a wide network of friends tend to enjoy better physical health. This is because they are encouraged to get out and about more and be active. Friendships help combat feelings of loneliness and isolation, which can both take their toll on life expectancy in older and vulnerable people.
Having someone to confide in, celebrate with or simply discuss the issues of the day can help you feel connected to wider society and more confident to try out new things. In a care home setting, there is plenty that can be done to encourage people to form friendships and build communities together for the good of all.
Creating opportunities
It can be daunting for lots of us to simply walk up to another person and invite them to be friends. Yet, when the opportunity presents itself, we are delighted to connect and search for common ground. Care homes can help enormously in this regard by setting up a range of clubs, activities and regular events designed to help residents get to know each other better. Try to organise a mix of activities that appeal to as many people as possible. Arts and crafts, gardening, sports, quizzes, fitness… the list is endless. To help you identify the most popular hobbies and activities enjoyed in your care home, use Care Vision’s personal records function to note down what each resident is interested in. Search for repeated themes and popular areas of interest and go from there.
Make the most of mealtimes
We are, by nature, a sociable species. We prefer to spend time in company rather than always being alone. Mealtimes are an ideal opportunity to bring people together and encourage them to share news and views while eating and drinking at the same table. Use Care Vision to plan breakfasts, lunches and dinners that attract people to attend and talk to each other, rather than eat in the solitude of their room. Some ideas could include theme nights, when meals are planned around international cuisines, religious festivals or special days. Arrange for food and drinks to be served at other times of the day too, such as morning coffee and afternoon tea to keep the conversation going.
Staff and residents
Care home staff can also gain a lot from striking up friendships with residents. While any relationships that form must be appropriate for the setting, not stray into favouritism and never cross any ethical boundaries, making friends at work makes everyone’s day better – and helps the time go faster. Residents, too, can benefit from making friends with care staff from different backgrounds and generations to themselves. It introduces new points of view and ideas for spending time and having fun in each other’s company. Staff can also be on hand to help residents wanting to make friends with others living in the home by making introductions and suggesting ways to enjoy time together.
Friends across the miles
The Covid-19 pandemic was a tough time for so many reasons. However, it inspired a lot of us to beef up our electronic communications skills to stay in touch with each other from a distance. There are so many ways to keep in contact with friends remotely, from phone calls to video conferencing tools (e.g. Zoom); emailing and texting to using social media. Care home staff can make a huge difference in this area by helping residents get to grips with digital communication tools. That way, they can stay in regular contact with friends and family, wherever they are in the world. There have never been so many ways to form, build and nurture friendships, thanks to the wonders of modern technology. Even Care Vision uses digital comms functionality to help care staff communicate remotely, 24/7, at the touch of a button or screen.