Creative Journeys Report 2019

Creative Journeys 61 The next section considers care home capacity and culture as mediating factors within the care context that may enable or inhibit the impact of participatory arts on the social relationships of residents. 4.7.2 Care home capacity and culture Care homes’ cultures are influenced by both internal and external factors and the ways in which these intersect. In terms of delivery of the sessions the ways in which staff and particularly activities coordinators were engaged and supported (or otherwise) within the home had a consequent impact on the ways in which staff felt able to engage with arts activities themselves and support residents both during and after sessions. Strong leadership and the willingness to take risks at management level to enable residents to undertake activities was an important enabler of creative activities. Staffing levels, workload and shift patterns as well as the existing attitudes of staff towards the arts and the ability of residents to participate combined to make either a conducive or challenging environment. However, equally important and outside the control of individual care homes was the precarious nature of funding for care homes. This theme recognises the role of the infrastructure and staff at the care home as a mediating factor for promoting social relationships through participatory arts. The importance of the activities coordinator was something that came across really strongly in the stage one interviews, but also in the stage two interviews and arts organisations focus group. This relates to the previous theme in terms of the organisation, practicalities and preparation involved, but they were also crucial in supporting both residents and relatives through the experience due to their existing relationships. In stage one, not only did they motivate, enthuse and remind residents before the programme and between sessions, but observations showed that they also encouraged active participation during sessions and worked with the arts facilitators to ensure residents got the most out of the experience. Additionally, they took care of the physical needs of residents during the sessions (e.g. adjusting wheelchairs, assisting with toilet breaks) which arts facilitators were not necessarily equipped to deal with. Furthermore, they were able to monitor the progress of individuals throughout the programme and address any issues that they might be having with participating. In the stage two interviews the importance of activities coordinators personally inviting residents to activities was also emphasised, and in the survey it was evident that the majority of arts activities being provided across the 27 participating homes in Essex were being run by activities coordinators. Across both stages, residents talked openly about their appreciation of the activities coordinators and the work that they do, and this was emphasised by the arts facilitators in interviews and the arts organisations focus group. Support for the activities coordinator and everything that they do, from the staff and senior management was considered important in establishing a culture in the care home of valuing the arts and the social relationships they promote. The arts organisations focus group also emphasised the importance of the activities coordinators for continuing activities and encouraging participation beyond the programme in order to allow for sustainability (as will be elaborated on later). In light of the points raised here, it is of concern that in the stage two survey it was identified that 4/27 participating homes (15 per cent) did not have an activities coordinator.