A popular nightclub has opened its doors during the day to give older people an opportunity to mingle and groove, just like they did in the old days.
PRYZM nightclub in the United Kingdom’s Nottingham is hosting residents from local aged care homes at a daytime ‘Boogie & Buffet’ event.
The idea arose when a local radio station asked listeners to share their stories about the club, which has been a dance venue since 1925, originally with the title ‘Palais de Danse’.
“We teamed up with Radio Nottingham who invited residents from Alder House care home… to share stories of their days going out on the town in Nottingham,” a PRYZM spokesperson told HelloCare.
“It proved such a big hit that we were inundated with requests from other care homes to run another event, so the concept of Boogie & Buffet was born.”
Boogie & Buffet is open to residents from all aged care homes in the Nottingham area. At the most recent event, 160 people attended from 44 homes.
“The idea of Boogie & Buffet is to bring together residents from every care home in Nottingham for a special afternoon of fun, food and dance,” the spokesperson said.
“Events like Boogie & Buffet bring people together and give them an opportunity to let their hair down, and takes them back down memory lane to their youth.”
The event has been wildly popular.
“The response has been amazing – from getting on the dance floor wearing tinsel wigs and playing inflatable guitars, to reminiscing about love found on the dancefloor of the Palais.”
The event is not just for fun, it has therapeutic benefits for those living with dementia.
“We’ve been told it really helped those that suffer from dementia, with the music sparking memories,” the spokesperson said.
Returning to a familiar place from the past can reawaken fond memories for people living with dementia.
Reminiscence therapy can help people living with dementia communicate, lift their mood, and make them feel their memories and past experiences are valued.
“We would very much like to hold the event again and are seeking a sponsor for the buffet so we can keep it a free event.
“We have other clubs in our estate and they are also looking to hold similar events, but not all have the access we do, so it won’t be suitable for everyone simply due to practicalities.”
Images: PRYZM.
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