North Devon Care Home Marks VE Day by Welcoming School Children into Home
To mark the 81st anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE Day), students from Ilfracombe Junior School visited Edenmore Nursing Home to share their World War II projects with family members (residents) living at the home.
The children spent time with different family members, showing them the workbooks they had created as part of their World War II projects, and offering them to family members who wanted to have a closer look through them themselves. The work included historical photographs from the wartime period alongside written sections exploring different aspects of the war.
Peter having a read of the children’s workbooks.
There were some very special moments throughout the visit. Ann, a family member, was left laughing and smiling when one student shared that the best part about dressing up as an evacuee was not having to wear a school uniform!
John enjoying a chat with a student.
Another child proudly told his teacher, ‘I think I’ve made that lady’s day,’ after spending time with Susan, another family member at the home. As the children were leaving, he made sure to say goodbye to Susan and give her a cuddle, something his teacher described as an especially touching moment, as showing affection and interacting so openly with others does not always come easily for him.
Susan enjoyed speaking with the children about their projects.
The home also hosted a special VE Day themed party later in the afternoon, with Union Jack decorations, themed cakes, hats and tableware, while members of the team dressed in utility-style clothing and kerchiefs for the occasion. A reminiscence area was created using wartime books, a rotary phone and a typewriter, giving family members the opportunity to look at, touch and interact with recognisable objects from the past which may evoke a sense of connection or recognition.
The home’s special VE Day decorations.
Isaac, who is ten years old and the grandson of Home Manager Gayle, also spent time at the home speaking with family members about their experiences of the war. Peter, a family member at the home, enjoyed talking to Isaac about rationing during the war, including sugar, meat, butter and clothing, helping him understand what life was like then.
Isaac dressed up with members of the team for the occasion.
Isaac has been visiting the home since he was just a few months old and continues to enjoy spending time with family members there!
Intergenerational visits like these can be meaningful for both older and younger generations. For older generations, spending time with children can encourage moments of conversation and connection. Talking about things like wartime memories, may help support reminiscence and reinforce a sense of identity and personal history.
For children, visits to care homes can help build understanding of ageing and living with Dementia in a more personal and compassionate way. And rather than learning about history only through books, they are able to hear from people who lived through significant moments in time, helping bring those experiences to life while also encouraging empathy and confidence connecting with older generations.
Bringing children into the home can also help family members feel part of the wider community and younger generations, while creating opportunities for shared experiences, conversation and connection.
Home Manager Gayle shared about the day, ‘It was just amazing. Seeing everyone’s happy faces. Everybody just loved it.’
To read more about the home’s activities, events, and people living at Edenmore – News & Blogs – Edenmore Nursing Home – North Devon Nursing Home