WHEN the Department of Health revealed that half of UK care home residents never go outside two Bournemouth facilities vowed to do something about it.

Shocked by the news that most care home residents get just 90 seconds per week of fresh, outside air, staff at Encore Care Homes' Bournemouth and Christchurch homes devised the 'Breath of Fresh Care' initiative.

Residents are now offered the chance to spend 60 minutes each week outside in the homes' landscaped gardens, walking through a local park, or even taking a stroll to the shops.

Operations and quality director of Encore Care Homes, Izzy Nicholls, said: “We know that daylight is just as important for our residents’ mental health as it is for their physical health, and already incorporate the outdoors into our activities. Getting outdoors can help to improve residents’ sleep, awareness, verbal expression and their memory, as well as encourage people to be active while socialising with others."

She pointed out that studies show that care home residents are twice as inactive as residents who stay living in their own homes, and that the health and wellbeing of people living with dementia significantly improves from spending as little as 10 minutes outdoors each day.

And for those at the Great Oaks care home in Bournemouth, there will be the chance to help maintain the raised flower beds and vegetable patch."

"Our ambition to offer every resident in our homes the opportunity to spend 60 minutes a week outside ensures that they live a happy and fulfilled life, where they can continue to enjoy the activities that bring them cheer," she said.