Our residents had fun 'beside the seaside' recently on a trip to the seaside town of Cleethorpes.
The residents enjoyed all the attractions of a traditional seaside resort with a strong along the promenade taking in the views of the golden beaches, an ice-cream in the sunshine, and finished the day with a fish and chip supper in a seafront cafe.
Research shows that as well as being a fun day out, a trip to the coast can offer a wide range of substantial benefits to the health of elderly people and those suffering from dementia. Sea air has been proven to improve the respiratory system and skin, aid circulation and strengthen the immune system.
As well as coastal air being almost completely free from pollution, exhaust fumes and soot particles, it contains tiny droplets of seawater enriched with salt, iodine, magnesium and trace elements, scattered into the air by wind and waves which is what makes it so good for your health.
Sea air is also charged with healthy negative ions that accelerate our ability to absorb oxygen, aid sleep and balance levels of serotonin - the chemical linked with mood and stress. Even the sound of sea waves has shown to play a role in rejuvenating the mind and body by altering the wave patterns in the brain and enabling a deeply relaxed state.
The beautiful sunny day boosted the vitamin D levels of our residents on the trip and seeing activities on the beach, including donkey rides and sandcastle building, helped bring back happy memories of family holidays gone-by.
Our Home Manager, Sheilagh Sweeney said: "We were so lucky with the weather on the day of the trip. The sun was shining on the sea and the beach looked beautiful."
"We purposely chose Cleethorpes for the day out because it's such a delightfully traditional seaside town. We know our residents enjoy remembering their own beach holidays and there were lots of happy conversations about sandcastles and swimming in the sea."
"Our residents seemed to have a wonderful day out and are still talking about the fun they had."