Creative Journeys Report 2019

82 Creative Journeys sustaining the impacts of the above once the formal session had ended which warrant further exploration. However it is very important to note that impact in the ‘moment’ was considered as valuable as a longer-term legacy. The quality and type of relationships are a vital yet perhaps an under-estimated component of the quality of care in care home contexts as well as critical factors in alleviating loneliness. Grenade and Boldy (2008, p.475) argue that factors such as self- esteem and sense of control impact on the experience of loneliness underlining the importance of residential care providers finding ways to enable residents to retain or regain a sense of identity and meaning and purpose to their lives to the extent that is possible. Participatory arts activities offer an important way to enable this. Looking across the data sets our five key messages are: • Participatory arts activities impact positively on the relationships between residents, between residents and care home staff, and residents and relatives. • Participatory arts activities have the potential to break down boundaries between those living in care homes and the wider community; • The arts have unique qualities that engage residents and enable them to express themselves creatively and make meaningful contributions to their relationships and their communities; • The development of relationships is dependent on both the creative processes and the culture of the care context; • Participatory arts organisations had shared values/ approaches and the project facilitated a rare opportunity for collaboration, with promising implications for joint working in the future. *written by jazz musicians Melvin “Sy” Oliver and James “Trummy” Young 6.5 Key recommendations The findings from this research point towards the following key recommendations for practice in both the care sector and the arts sector: • To promote collective wellbeing and meaningful relationships in the care home community; arts practitioners should consider a relationship-focused approach, which builds on the strengths and abilities of all those involved in the activity; • To recognise that all care home staff have an important role in the planning and delivery of participatory arts activities for residents, but should also have the opportunity to participate themselves and by doing so may learn new relational skills and approaches with residents; • To be aware that activities coordinators have a key role in providing and supporting participatory arts activities in care homes. Recognition of this role to include job descriptions which acknowledge the core skills and qualities involved in this work, with training opportunities in participatory arts approaches; • To ensure that arts organisations working with older people in care homes work with care homes to find ways to leave a positive legacy through providing resources or training of care home staff to increase sustainability.