Little bears create magical moments for residents at Oxfordshire care home

Heartwarming visits from a group of toddlers is spreading laughter and cheer among residents at Bridge House Care Home

Heartwarming visits from a group of toddlers is spreading laughter and cheer among residents at Bridge House Care Home.

The Little Bears are regular visitors at Bridge House Care Home, where they take part in a number of activities with residents including crafts, reading stories and sharing experiences.

Resident Janet said: “I love seeing the children when they come to visit. It really livens the place up and reminds us all of being young and being with our families.”

Riverly Club and Lifestyles Manager, Chantelle Merritt, highlighted the importance of building relationships in the community and the happiness shared during the visits.

She said: “It’s lovely to see our residents and the children interacting with each other and you can see how much everyone loves spending time together.

“As the children come back more often you can see the bonds forming with our residents and the smiles and excitement about them visiting last long after they have left.

“It’s really important for us to build meaningful relationships with our local community and the Little Bears bring so much joy to our home.”

The intergenerational initiative brings fun and forges magical connections between the children and residents at the 71-bed home, providing residential, nursing, dementia and palliative care.

Care home manager, Marta Leszko, said: “The Little Bears bring an incredible sense of happiness and liveliness to our home and this fun atmosphere is something we’re really proud of.

“The interaction between the children and our residents is so heartwarming, and we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to create such wonderful moments.

“Everyone is always so excited when we know the Little Bears are coming in to visit and seeing how much everyone enjoys it shows how beneficial it is to everyone.

“Building relationships with our local community is really important to us as well as welcoming everyone into the wider Bridge House family.

“To see the happy smiling faces of everyone, as well as enabling our residents to share their experiences with the children and create new memories is really special.”