Movie magic is perfect training tool for
care practitioners

A bittersweet film about ageing opera singers provided a training day with a difference for over 100 of our care practitioners.

The group from Pendine Park decamped to the Odeon cinema at the Eagles Meadow shopping centre, in Wrexham, to watch the critically acclaimed movie, Quartet.

Appropriately, the film is set in a retirement home and the problems and pleasures encountered by the musical residents were used as part of Pendine Park's training programme.

Quartet was directed by Oscar winning screen great Dustin Hoffman and features a stellar cast including Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Pauline Collins and Billy Connolly.

The private screening was the idea of Pendine Park Director Gill Kreft and was organised by their teaching care centre, Smartcare, and Odeon Manager Andy Elvis.

Andy said: "Quartet is set in a retirement home and I am sure some of the situations depicted within the film form an ideal training package for care practitioners.

Mario Kreft added: "Quartet is set in Beecham House, a fictional retirement home. It's a wonderful film and Dustin Hoffman and the cast have done a remarkable job in capturing the emotions of life in a care home community.

"At Pendine we talk about the six senses of care, achievement, belonging, continuity, purpose, significance and security, these are wonderfully portrayed in the film.

"Being able to treat our staff and Smartcare trainers to enjoy watching a fantastic film such as Quartet helps us to get our message of just how important enrichment is to our residents and clients."

He added: "We are involved in a long-standing collaboration with the Hallé orchestra and we are also Welsh National Opera Gold Community Champions."

Danuscza Jensen, who has 21 years' experience as a care practitioner, is team leader at Pendine Park's Bondlondeb care home, a centre of excellence for dementia care.

She said: "Coming to the cinema for a private screening was certainly a great idea and a tremendous way to train staff. There were lessons to be learnt that I will certainly remember for a very long time."

Jeanette Whiteley, a care practitioner with Pendine Park's domiciliary care company, Independent Living, said: "I think I understand more now the importance of having that sense of belonging and needing to feel secure. I certainly took a lot from the film."

Housekeeper Carol Bowen added: "It made me think how even little conversations with residents are really important and how vital it is to provide a homely environment for our residents to enjoy."