Mayor of Felixstowe unveils new wellbeing room at local care home to support dementia care

The Firs care home in Felixstowe celebrated the opening of its new Namaste Room, a multi-sensory room to enhance the wellbeing of residents, including those living with dementia. Made possible through the efforts of colleagues, residents, their loved ones and the local community, the Namaste Room will offer a holistic approach to care that supports the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. 

Dr Nicholas Neill, who is resident GP at The Firs and GP at Haven Health in Felixstowe, which is run by Suffolk Primary Care, was inspired to create the Namaste Room at The Firs care home, during his participation in the Health Education England Trailblazer Fellowship. This was after learning about similar person-centred approaches to care, called Namaste Care, taken by the Alzheimer’s Society.

Whilst verbal communication or memory can fade for people living with dementia, the senses remain a powerful way to connect. From the moment residents at The Firs care home enter the Namaste Room, they’re immersed in a multi-sensory experience to engage all five senses: soft lighting and a bubble machine for sight; calming music and rainforest noises for sound; natural oils offering soothing scents for smell; therapeutic hand massages and foot spas for touch, and a herbal tea station for taste. A calm seating space offers the chance to decompress and connect. 

The initiative has been brought to life through the dedication of the care home and the local community. The Firs Catering Assistant Zeta and Team Leader Nicky took a hands-on approach, planning, preparing and decorating, whilst R.P. Plastering Services re-plastered the walls. In addition to this, family members helped fit carpets. Fundraising efforts and very generous donations have played a vital role in supporting the project. Local florist Susan’s Flowers helped to create the floral display, while Iain, a son of The Firs’ oldest resident Pat helped with painting and general DIY work.

The opening event, officiated by the Mayor of Felixstowe, was a joyful celebration of teamwork with residents, colleagues, district nurses and the volunteers who helped create the Namaste Room. The occasion was marked with a performance from local band Shane’s Rock and Roll Show.

Nicky, Team Leader at The Firs care home, says:

Opening a dedicated wellbeing space for our residents has been incredibly rewarding. The Namaste Room has brought together people from across The Firs and our community, and it’s been a transformative space for our residents. We look forward to seeing how it will continue to support and enrich the lives of our residents and their loved ones.

Dr Neill, resident GP at The Firs, says:

With many residents at The Firs care home living with dementia we were keen to find a way to make activities and support even more comprehensive. We were inspired by Namaste Care due to the strong evidence that it can reduce the reliance on medication for managing the symptoms of individuals with dementia.

This has been an energising and inspiring project, and we can’t thank everyone enough for their hard work and support.

The Firs is one of Anchor’s specialist dementia care homes, with a range of distinguishing features including more colleagues with advanced dementia training and specific dementia-friendly design elements.

For more information about The Firs please click here.