CHS has been working with Young People of the Year (YOPEY).  Teenagers at Chesterton Community College received training from YOPEY and are visiting residents at Langdon House, our residential care home in Cambridge, to offer company and friendship.

The students will visit for an hour every week over the coming year and chat to residents, two thirds of whom live with dementia and some rarely have visitors.  It is hoped that the scheme will teach the teenagers a range of life skills.  Zoe Patman, a team leader at Langdon House said ‘Our residents loved meeting the young people and are looking forward to their weekly visits.

One of the students reported: ‘I went to the care home after school today and I had such a good time.  I went alone which made me a bit nervous, but when I got chatting, it was all good.  So I was talking to Pearl and Alison who were both lovely, then I went and talked to Elizabeth.  I went over and she instantly recognised me and was saying my name after two weeks of not seeing her.  I nearly cried! (happy tears).  We had an amazing discussion and just talking to her makes me so happy.

‘There was a lady called Jennifer who I met a few weeks ago and she was curled up asleep on the chair.  She kept waking up screaming and then fell asleep so whenever she had an ‘episode’ I held her hand to get her back to sleep.  I hoped that helped.  I’ve been invited to stay for tea next time I go which I’m looking forward to.  I have made a little ‘girl gang’ with some of the residents, which is making my time so much more enjoyable.’

YOPEY teenagers visit residents at Langdon House care home Cambridge

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