Finding meaningful, purposeful activity for residents remains one of the more persistent challenges in care home life, particularly for those living with dementia. Generic activity schedules can only go so far; the real value often lies in giving residents genuine roles, responsibility and a reason to feel useful. Chartwell Care Home in Broadstairs has taken that principle and built an entire enterprise around it.
The home has opened The Chartwellion, a shop conceived, stocked and run by residents themselves. It opened on 7 July 2026 following a period of consultation in which residents shaped every aspect of what the shop sells and how it operates.
From an observation to an enterprise
The idea began with something simple: residents enjoyed trips to the nearby Westwood Cross Shopping Centre but wanted the same independence and convenience without leaving home. The Chartwellion answers that directly, stocking items residents asked for, including stamps, greetings cards, gifts, confectionery, toiletries and personal care products. The range continues to evolve as residents give feedback on what they’d like to see next.
Even the name has resident fingerprints on it. Chartwellion nods to the lions of Chartwell, and resident Peter marked the occasion by painting a canvas lion that now sits at the heart of the shop.
Residents in charge, not just involved
What distinguishes The Chartwellion from a typical on-site amenity is who runs it. Supported by Chartwell House‘s Life Enrichment Team, residents serve customers, handle purchases, organise stock and manage the shop’s daily running themselves.
For several residents, this taps into real history. A number previously worked in customer-facing roles, including retail and the Post Office, and the shop gives them a chance to reconnect with skills and routines that are genuinely familiar to them. For residents living with dementia, this kind of purposeful, role-based activity can be particularly powerful. The Alzheimer’s Society’s research points to the wellbeing value of maintaining familiar routines and engaging in meaningful activity, including stronger self-esteem, reduced isolation and improved overall wellbeing.
Taryn, Head of Lifestyle and Wellbeing at Chartwell House, explains why the shop has resonated so strongly: “The Chartwellion is much more than a shop. It’s about giving residents choice, purpose and ownership. Every product on the shelves has been selected because our residents told us they wanted it there, and many of our residents now play an active role in running the shop. For those living with dementia, familiar routines such as serving customers or organising stock can spark wonderful conversations and memories from earlier in life. Seeing residents take pride in welcoming customers and supporting one another has been incredibly rewarding.”
Resident Beryl sums up what the shop means day to day: “I think it’s a wonderful idea. It’s lovely to be able to pop into the shop whenever we need something, and it’s even nicer knowing that we’ve helped create it. It feels like our own little community shop.”
Part of a wider wellbeing framework
Part of a wider The Chartwellion sits within Chartwell House’s Life Enrichment Programme, structured around six principles: Contribute, Grow, Reflect, Feel, Move and Connect. Rather than a standalone initiative, it reflects an approach favoured across Boutique Care Homes more broadly: listening closely to what residents want and giving them the means to build it themselves.
For other providers considering similar projects, the lesson isn’t necessarily the shop format itself, but the process behind it — starting from what residents actually ask for, then handing over real responsibility rather than simply offering supervised participation. It’s a distinction that can make the difference between an activity residents attend and one they genuinely own.
