Residents at a care home in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, are experiencing remarkable improvements in their wellbeing thanks to the introduction of Namaste Care – a sensory-led therapy designed to bring peace, relaxation and connection to those living with dementia.
Bridge House Care Home, which has 71 en-suite bedrooms, offers residential, nursing, specialist dementia care and palliative care and has incorporated Namaste Care into its daily routines. The sessions take place one-to-one or in small groups and involve a range of holistic, sensory therapies including aromatherapy, hand massages and sound and light therapy to promote deep rest and relaxation.
Since the introduction of Namaste Care earlier this year, several residents have shown remarkable emotional and behavioral changes. The improvement in residents’ wellbeing has also been accompanied by a reduction in falls.
Gwyneth Bolton, 90, moved to the home at the beginning of this year and like many people adjusting to a new environment, needed time to feel at home. She now looks forward to the calming sessions and said, “I feel complete peace when I’m here like this – everything feels better.”
Living with dementia, 81-year-old Glyneth Randall, enjoys keeping mobile and is most comfortable when on the move. During the sessions the team are delighted to see her relax and become more talkative saying, “Isn’t this nice? I really like it.” She even sings along to the music – something the team don’t often see.
The team at Bridge House have found that resident Rosalind Thorne, 79, also paces less and is more settled and relaxed following her Namaste Care sessions. Like the other residents, Rosalind finds a lot of happiness in the multi-sensory environment. She engages with the gentle lighting and calming sounds and loves the scenery that is played on a screen in the room. Margaret Young’s husband Brian, 80, has been at the home for only four months. He feels most at ease when Margaret is nearby, and the sessions help him unwind. Margaret said, “Namaste helps to calm Brian, he likes sitting in the softly lit room, listening to the rainfall sounds and birds twittering.”
“Friends and family are able to join in,” said Chantelle Merritt, Lifestyle and Riverly Club Manager at the home. “Margaret and Brian did a session together and it was so nice to see them enjoying the moment.”
Team members at Bridge House, who recently won Team of the Year at the Oxfordshire Care Awards 2025, have been specially trained to deliver Namaste care. The sessions are very inclusive and every resident can benefit. A mobile trolley allows the team to visit rooms and deliver sessions to nursing residents and those receiving end-of-life care.
“Namaste Care has transformed the way we connect with residents and brought so many benefits to our delivery of care,” Chantelle continued. “It has allowed us to reach our residents on a whole different level, even in very small ways from a loving touch or a peaceful moment. There is a wonderful individual element, which means we can use life histories to reminisce and find connections that are important to each person.”
NHS England states that around one in three adults aged over 65 will have at least one fall a year in the UK, with those living with dementia at even greater risk. The team at Bridge House have noticed not just emotional improvements, but physical ones too.
“We’ve seen a gentle but meaningful reduction in falls, which we believe is closely connected to the regular delivery of our Namaste Care sessions,” said Home Manager Marta Leszko. “They create a soothing, emotionally settled environment that helps reduce restlessness and anxiety, both of which can lead to unsafe movement and that creates a fall risk.”
“Namaste Care has become an important part of daily life here. In addition to our dedicated lifestyle team, we now have trained ‘Namaste Champions’ who guide other team members. This ensures all residents, regardless of where they are in their journey, can experience the comfort, connection and benefits of this care. It creates sense of presence that enhances not only the residents’ experience, but the way we as carers connect with them too.”
“At Bridge House, our approach is always about delivering high quality, person-centered care. The wellbeing and dignity of every resident is our priority and is at the heart of everything we do. Our team bring commitment and compassion to their role every single day and we know that by working together with empathy, respect and purpose we can truly make a difference.”
The home’s credits also include a Platinum accreditation with the Gold Standards Framework for end-of-life care and it’s rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
