* Bethan Mascarenhas, at the back near the window, with Welsh Learner of the Year Fiona Collins, centre holding soft toy, with residents, children and their parents at the storytelling session.
The reigning Welsh Learner of the Year was signed up
by the new boss of a Llangollen care home to help strengthen its links with the
local community.
Bethan Mascarenhas took over the Old Vicarage late
last year and has since embarked on an ambitious series of initiatives to help
keep elderly residents active and feel part of the daily life of the town.
And most of the activities she has in mind are aimed
at encouraging them to mix with much younger people.
It’s with this aim in mind that Bethan has started
regular storytelling sessions at the home, the first of which was led by Fiona
Collins, Welsh Learner of the Year or 2019, and saw mums and toddlers from the
area sitting alongside residents to enjoy nursery rhymes, stories and songs in
Welsh, all introduced with the help of her collection of cuddly toys from an
owl to a fish.
Bethan, whose home is a member of the influential
Care Forum Wales organisation and trained at the Wrexham-based Pendine Academy,
also plans more inter-generational events such as nursery rhyme and singing
sessions.
“The arts and music have been proven to be extremely
therapeutic for elderly people living in a care home environment and mixing
with very young children is great because both the young and old can enjoy them
so much,” she said.
“For the older people it can take them back to the happy
times they had when they were young parents.”
Bethan also has in mind enabling her residents to
return to their former hobbies and passions and to use any specialist knowledge
they might have.
She explained: “One of our men is a keen gardener
and wants to involve local children in things like planting bulbs for next
spring. We also have former teachers living with us who could help younger
children with their reading.
“I’d like to bring in experts to give talks to our
residents and local primary school children on subjects such as the Second
World War. I know someone who is prepared to bring in uniforms and other
memorabilia from the era to help illustrate these sessions.”
Bethan added: “I’m quite advanced with planning for
a mother and toddlers group to be based at the Old Vicarage and I think it
would also be good to involve these children and their parents along with the
residents in things like drama workshops, music therapy and yoga sessions.
“I firmly believe that just because someone is
living in a home they do not have to feel isolated.
“I see what I am trying to do at the Old Vicarage as
providing continuity of community.
“Thanks to Fiona, the first storytelling session was
a big hit with the children, their parents and residents and hopefully will be
the first of many like it.”
The Old Vicarage recently received a visit from Older Person's Commissioner for Wales Heléna Herklots who was impressed by what she saw.
Fiona Collins, who hosted the
recent storytelling session at the home, won the National Eisteddfod's Welsh
Learner of the Year in August.
Known as the woman who
makes legends, stories and folklore come alive in her own magical way, the
former teacher established a story cafe at the
Courtyard Cafe in Llangollen, with a group coming together regularly to share
stories, recite poetry or sing.
She began learning Welsh in 1999, when she was living
in London.
Fiona, who works in English and Welsh, said her
"secret mission" is to teach everyone about Welsh folklore.
* For more details about The Old Vicarage, call: 01978
861866.
* Residents meet some of the children.
* Above and below, Fiona Collins leads a storytelling session.
