Today (February 17) is Random Acts of Kindness Day and residents and staff at Lindley Grange Bupa Care Home have shared the little ways that they’ve been treated with kindness, along with advice on making kindness count every day.
As a specialist in dementia care, the Huddersfield home knows that kindness comes in many forms and it doesn’t have to be a big gesture to have a big effect – it can be something as simple as sitting in one another’s company.
4 ways to treat people with kindness, according to Lindley Grange Bupa Care Home
- Be selfless
- Dine together
- Share a smile
- Make time
- Be selfless
Doing something without expecting anything in return is a great way to show someone you care. It all starts with thinking about little gestures you could carry out that could make a big difference.
From offering to paint someone’s nails, to mindful colouring sessions, encouraging others to take a moment for themselves and focus on their wellbeing helps promote a kinder atmosphere.
Resident Angela Gill, 90, loves to show that she cares by polishing the home’s crockery. Along with getting the satisfaction of helping others, Angela finds the polishing process calming and good for her wellbeing.
- Dine together
Starting as a simple idea to spread kindness when a resident living with dementia was finding mealtimes distressing, Lindley Grange has introduced ‘Come Dine with Me’ sessions.
These sessions mark regular times where staff members enjoy relaxed meals together with residents – and have proved a huge hit. Hostess Chelsea Teanby and care assistant Chloe Szoradi note that dining with residents can foster a calming atmosphere for all, and encourage better eating and drinking habits.
- Share a smile
Smiling is simple and easy way to start a chain reaction of joy – something resident Sheila Tinker, 75, and housekeeper, Michelle Dyson, know all too well.
The inseparable twosome find fun in the everyday, so when Michelle noticed that Sheila was taking an active interest in her sweeping duties, Michelle took it as an opportunity for kindness and spur on a smile.
Joy can come in many forms – for Sheila, it comes in the form of a brush!
- Make time
Rosalind Townsend, 80, shares a special bond with activities co-ordinator, Rebecca Crowe. On a recent sunny day, the pair seized it and enjoyed a walk to a local café together.
As they were chatting, Rosalind realised that she could do with picking up some items from the local supermarket, so Rebecca made sure she didn’t return empty-handed with an impromptu shopping trip.
These little moments can be a real opportunity to show kindness to those close to you. Making time for days together like this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go out of your way to see the benefits it can have for someone else’s wellbeing.
Rebecca Crowe, activities co-ordinator at Lindley Grange, keeps kindness firmly in the centre of the home’s day to day, not just on Random Acts of Kindness Day, but all-year round.
“Many of us may think that the best way to show kindness is through grand gestures, but from our experience that’s simply not true. It’s often the little things we do that can have the biggest effect – and they tend to run on the theme of letting someone else know we’re there for them.
“We also find that kind gestures can go a long way towards helping to manage the moods of our residents. Putting some thought into things that may bring a smile to their face and figuring out how to introduce them in a calm environment can really help to turn their day around.
“The smaller things can add up to a big difference – and the great news is that they’re a lot easier to implement in everyday life, too. What’s more, when someone is kind to you without expecting anything back, it can encourage you to pay it forward and do something nice for someone else, just because!”
