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Why festivals matter in a care home
For an older person who has moved out of their own home, a festival can be proof that life is continuing rather than stopping. For a person with dementia it can be more than that: the smell of a particular sweet, the sound of a familiar song and the colours of a decoration may reach a person after conversation has become difficult. Diwali, Eid, Christmas and Holi are all marked at Woodlands, and cultural and dietary preferences are respected.
Diwali
Diwali is one of the festivals marked at Woodlands, and rangoli is one of the activities residents can take part in. For a Hindu resident, Diwali may mean lamps, sweets and prayer; for others it may mean the food, the lights and the company. Ask what last year's celebration included, and tell us what the person's own family does at home.
Eid
Eid is marked at Woodlands too. Eid al-Fitr follows the month of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha comes later in the Islamic year; for many families each means prayer, sweets, a special meal and visits from relatives. If halal food or a visit from an imam matters to the person, raise it at the first conversation and ask how it would be arranged.
Christmas
For many older residents, Christmas means what they remember: a tree, carols and a meal shared with family. It is among the festivals marked at Woodlands. If the person wants to attend a service or to see a priest or minister, tell us, and ask how that could be arranged.
Holi and the rest of the year
Holi is marked at Woodlands as well. Colour and crowds may need adapting for a resident with frail skin, breathing problems or dementia, so ask how it is done. If the person keeps another festival, tell us at the assessment. Between festivals, the home has puzzles and reading, park outings, a salon and a garden.
Food that fits
A festival depends on its food as much as its decorations. Cultural and dietary preferences are respected at Woodlands, so tell us what the person eats, what they avoid and what they miss, along with any medical diet. If you would like to bring food from home for a festival, tell the nurse first so that medical diets are kept safe.
Families
Festivals are often the days families most want to be there, so ask how relatives can join in. Ask us about photographs for the events gallery, which need the family's consent. If your family has a tradition of its own, from a particular dish to a particular song, tell us about it. Our daily life page describes an ordinary week between the festivals.
Festivals and dementia
For a resident with dementia, a festival may need adapting: a quieter corner, a shorter session, the familiar food and music without the crowd. Our dementia care draws on calm routines and familiar rituals, and that thinking applies on festival days too. If a celebration becomes too much, a person may need somewhere calmer, so ask how that is handled.
Fasting safely during Ramadan
Fasting is a nursing matter as much as a religious one. If a resident wishes to fast, ask how the nurses and the GP would plan for it before the month starts. Insulin and other medicines may need retiming around sehri and iftar, and blood sugar and fluid intake may need closer watching. For someone whose health makes fasting unsafe, the GP's advice matters, and the person may still keep the month through prayer, the evening meal and Eid.
Planning a festival day around the person
A festival day works best when the morning stays ordinary. A person with dementia who is rushed into decorations and noise early in the day is unlikely to enjoy any of it. When you visit, ask when the special meal is served, how families join in, and whether there is a quieter room for anyone who has had enough. Ask about consent for photographs too, if relatives cannot come.
Visiting Woodlands
Woodlands Total Care Nursing Home is on Gordon Road, Ilford IG1 1SN, near Ilford station on the Elizabeth line. If you are choosing a home for a parent whose faith and festivals matter, ask us what we did last Diwali, last Eid and last Christmas, and whether you could see a celebration. Call 020 8553 2841 or use the tour form.
Where to go next
Sources: Alzheimer's Society · Social Care Institute for Excellence · Care Quality Commission · London Borough of Redbridge
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