A bus stop, a greengrocer, a flower shop, a bakery, a barber and even a music wall might not be what you expect to find inside a care home, but at Thistle Court in Cwmbran, familiar parts of everyday life have been brought into the home through a collection of interactive and sensory spaces.
Rather than simply decorating the walls, the team at Thistle Court has thought about how the spaces can be touched, picked up, explored and, importantly, used to start conversations.
Recreating the familiar greengrocer
One of the latest additions is the home’s grocery wall, an idea developed by Thistle Court Administrator Tracey Baker and brought to life with help from the kitchen team. Designed to resemble the familiar greengrocers’ people may remember visiting, the display includes fruit and vegetables that can be picked up and handled, alongside recognisable grocery items.
The kitchen team saved empty food packaging and carefully filled it with safe materials so that the items don’t just look the part. A bag of flour or sugar has weight and gives slightly when squeezed, while boxes make a familiar sound when shaken.
Sparking conversation through touch
Residents (who the home fondly refer to as family members) have already begun making the grocery wall their own, picking up the fruit and vegetables, feeling the different items and taking them with them into other areas of the home. On one occasion, a family member took some of the produce into the lounge and handed another family member a lemon, prompting the quick response that it was “no good without a gin”!
They are such ordinary things, and I think that’s exactly why they work so well. You can pick something up, feel it and it can naturally start a conversation.
Sarah Butfield, Home Manager at Thistle Court, said: “They are such ordinary things, and I think that’s exactly why they work so well. You can pick something up, feel it and it can naturally start a conversation. Our home should still be full of the familiar things that make up everyday life. Sometimes something as simple as picking up a bag of sugar or recognising a shop can give people something to explore, talk about or simply enjoy.”
For the team at Thistle Court, the sensory spaces are another way of ensuring the home reflects more than somebody’s complex care needs. By bringing familiar pieces of everyday life inside, the team hopes to create an environment that feels interesting, recognisable and, above all, like home. This approach echoes a wider shift towards designing homes that anticipate higher need while still feeling personal and welcoming.
