Wigan Care Company Brings Art Therapy to People's Homes

Belong at Home Wigan collaborates with artists and customers to bring art into people's homes during lockdown.

08:39 13 January 2021

Community support workers from Belong at Home Wigan are working with artists to bring art into people's homes during the lockdown. The six-month project, which is funded by Arts Council England and the Baring Foundation, aims to address isolation and promote social interaction during the Covid-19 lockdown. 

 

The initiative is part of Belong and Bluecoat's wider research project, Where the Arts Belong, which has demonstrated a range of positive outcomes in engaging older people that leads to improved mood, enhanced cognitive capacity and an increased sense of community. 

 

Artist and Bluecoat project facilitator, Tabitha Moses, said: “The initiative is proving very popular so far. Staff have told us the sessions are opening up conversations and lifting customers’ spirits.

 

“As such, the workshops are enabling more stimulating interactions between all those involved and our hope is that the training and learning outcomes produced can be applied to enhance future social care and wellbeing visits. We are so pleased to be able to build on the success of the Bluecoat and Belong pilot project at Crewe in this way, and develop further meaningful creative services for those living with dementia.”

 

Belong at Home Wigan area manager, Sophie Walls, added: “The project has presented the perfect opportunity to offer something more to our customers during this difficult time and we are thrilled to support them to enjoy such meaningful activities on a one-to-one basis.”