Person-centred Care at The Maltings a New Care Home in Bridlington

At Fisher Care, residents living with dementia are seen as people first, never as a diagnosis. Everything offered in our homes is built around Tom Kitwood’s person‑centred framework, which focuses on protecting and nurturing a person’s identity, relationships and emotional wellbeing. This shapes not just our activities, but how the whole team thinks, speaks and cares every day.

Who Was Tom Kitwood?

Tom Kitwood was a pioneering dementia researcher who argued that good dementia care is about more than managing symptoms. He showed that when people feel valued, secure and included, their distress reduces and their abilities are better preserved. His work identified key psychological needs that remain throughout dementia: comfort, attachment, inclusion, occupation, identity and love. At Fisher Care, these needs form the backbone of our activity planning and our day‑to‑day interactions.

Life Story Work At The Heart

Getting to know each resident’s life story is where person‑centred care begins for us. From the moment someone moves in, we invite residents and families to share memories, routines, passions, careers, and important relationships. These details shape everything from the way we greet someone in the morning to the activities we offer and the way we support both our residents and their families.

To make this richer and more accessible, we host hands‑on life story sessions such as family scrapbooking afternoons, memory box making, and ancestry clubs. The result is a deep, shared understanding of the person behind the dementia that guides our entire team.

Meeting Emotional Needs, Not Just Filling Time

In line with Kitwood’s thinking, activities at Fisher Care are never about “keeping people busy”. Instead, each session is designed to meet one or more of the psychological needs he described.

• Comfort: Quiet one‑to‑one time, hand massage, reading poetry, or simply sitting together in a calm space help residents feel safe and soothed.

• Attachment: Consistent staff, familiar routines and regular family involvement create a sense of security and belonging.

• Inclusion: Group activities are adapted so that everyone can join in at their own level, whether seated exercise, singing, or art.

• Occupation: Residents take roles with meaning – from tending plants in the garden to helping set tables, organising books, or supporting charity projects.

• Identity: Hobbies, faith, cultural background, jobs and family roles are honoured, and woven into personalised activities and daily choices.

This approach helps residents feel recognised and valued, rather than passive recipients of care.

Inclusive Activities For All Abilities

Our residents are individuals, and activities are carefully designed so everyone can access something meaningful, regardless of mobility or cognitive changes. Each week includes a mix of:

• Creative sessions such as painting, knitting, crafts and baking, adapted for visual or physical impairments.

• Music and reminiscence, from sing‑alongs and live performances to personalised playlists linked to life stories.

• Gentle physical movement, including chair‑based exercise, dance, walking groups and outdoor games, supporting strength and balance.

• Sensory experiences, such as aromatherapy, tactile boxes, nature trays and garden visits, especially valuable in later‑stage dementia.

• Learning and discovery, including talks, hobby clubs, faith or heritage celebrations and discussion groups, all adjusted for pace and attention.

Alongside group sessions, one‑to‑one time is non‑negotiable. Every resident is offered regular individual contact focused on their preferences – perhaps listening to favourite music, looking through a scrapbook, discussing football results, or simply sharing a cup of tea and a chat.

Being Part Of The Community

Kitwood highlighted how feeling part of ordinary life supports personhood. Fisher Care homes are therefore deliberately outward‑facing, not closed off from the world. Residents help shape and attend events that bring the community in and take the home out.

Across the year, we host original, free community events that are co‑created with residents.

Charity and volunteering opportunities are also important. Residents might knit for premature babies, support local foodbank collections, or write cards for community projects. These activities foster purpose and the sense of “still contributing”, which is central to maintaining identity and self‑esteem.

Linking To CQC Outstanding Expectations

The Care Quality Commission looks for homes that are safe, effective, caring, responsive and well‑led. Fisher Care’s use of Kitwood’s framework underpins all five:

• Caring: Staff understand each person’s history, preferences and emotions, and use that knowledge in everyday interactions.

• Responsive: Activities and routines are tailored and regularly reviewed with residents and families; wish‑lists are created and fulfilled where possible.

• Effective: Meaningful occupation and social connection support wellbeing, cognition and physical health.

• Safe: Structured, inclusive activities reduce boredom, distress and the risks that come with them.

• Well‑led: Our approach to dementia care, including AI integration, is intentional, reflective and continuously improving.

By rooting practice in Tom Kitwood’s ideas and combining them with creative activities, community partnerships and thoughtful technology, Fisher Care aims to offer a lifestyle where residents living with dementia feel recognised, connected and truly at home.

We look forward to welcoming our first residents to The Maltings, our new care home in Bridlington.