Resident engagement


delight in telling everyone about their part in it. It was played through the TVs in the lounges of Finney House so all residents could enjoy it. One thing about social media is that


if people engage with it, it is likely to be shared. We purposely put it out there so that families could hear it, but it soon reached almost 2,000 people and media interest was sparked. It was not long before local press took


an interest and we had a call from BBC Radio Lancashire, which heard it and loved it. DJ Graham Liver said it “Had a better ending than Line of Duty” and wanted to feature it on his breakfast show. He interviewed me about the


concept of it and Jo Fogg, L&M Healthcare’s director of clinical quality and governance, about the positive life experience this had given the residents involved, live on air. Our little group of radio stars were born. Soon after, interest in running the


entire series of five episodes came from local community radio station Radio Leyland and TDW Radio, an internet- based radio station set up for people with dementia and families supporting them. The series has now aired on both stations. UK Health Radio is also talking to us about the story behind it all.


That’s a wrap The idea of running The Haharchers as a weekly series was very exciting for everyone involved, but again not that easy in reality. We could not commit to a firm production schedule as recordings were dependent on many things, primarily due to the fragile state of health of some of our budding radio stars. So, we waited until we had a bank of them produced and then the stations started to air them weekly. As I write, we are now all set to record


It was not long before local press took an interest and we had a call from BBC Radio Lancashire, which heard it and loved it. DJ Graham Liver said it “Had a better ending than Line of Duty” and wanted to feature it on his breakfast show


episode five. As the months have passed, I have had to adapt the scripts as one of our main stars is struggling with their voice and can no longer deliver long lines. I have made their lines shorter and, to add a further element of fun, I have added a cameo part from a senior L&M Healthcare staff member - head of admissions and family liaison Alison Porter - for who this is also a first.


Learning lines It has been a wonderful experience producing The Haharchers and we have learned many things along the way. These include the following. l Your vision is not always easy for someone else to see, yet if it is your vision it is also your job to help someone else see it to. It is only when they see your vision that you can truly achieve the desired outcome.


l Working with budding stars who are older people takes a lot more time than you think. Just moving them from one room to another is not always possible, never mind by a certain time. One can be well enough one day and not the next. So, never work to a time constraint – it will happen when it happens.


l You can always make something work if you try hard enough. Obstacles can all be overcome if you put your mind to it, you are determined to make a success of it and you work with like-minded people.


l Success can bring surprises. This is probably the best learning of all. What started out as a means of connecting residents with their families in an interesting and innovative way during lockdown, actually made celebrities out of them.


Graham Liver


Our benchmark of success was to have completed the recordings, to have provided a positive activity for these


November 2021 • www.thecarehomeenvironment.com Louise Harder


Care communications consultant Louise Harder has over 30 years of experience and has worked across many industry sectors including pharmaceutical, healthcare and research, working for companies of all different shapes and sizes from large multinationals to small or medium- sized enterprises. Louise has been working closely for almost six years with L&M Healthcare, which owns and manages seven care homes across north-west England.


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residents during lockdown, and to produce a lasting memento for them and their families. Yet, ultimately, to have given a group of people aged between 83-99 years old the chance to take part in a radio play, some for the first time in their lives, we did actually prove that old saying that you are never too old to try something new is very true. If we can inspire other care providers


to overcome the obvious challenges and provide their residents with opportunities to try something new - no matter what their age or state of health - that will be the greatest success of all.


TCHE


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