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Remembering the past, enhancing the present and sharing the future: a qualitative study of the impact of film screenings in care home communities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 May 2020

Jenna P. Breckenridge Open the ORCID record for Jenna P. Breckenridge [Opens in a new window] ,
Thilo Kroll Open the ORCID record for Thilo Kroll [Opens in a new window] ,
Gavin Wylie Open the ORCID record for Gavin Wylie [Opens in a new window]  and
Ana Salzberg Open the ORCID record for Ana Salzberg [Opens in a new window]
Jenna P. Breckenridge*
Affiliation:
School of Health Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
Thilo Kroll
Affiliation:
School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Gavin Wylie
Affiliation:
School of Health Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
Ana Salzberg
Affiliation:
School of Humanities, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
*
*Corresponding author. Email: j.breckenridge@dundee.ac.uk
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Abstract

Many care home residents lack opportunities for meaningful activity and social connection, resulting in poor physical and emotional wellbeing. Providing residents with varied activities and social opportunities can improve their quality of life. In this paper, we examine the potential for film to provide a meaningful, social activity. The limited existing research on film in care homes has predominantly examined the use of film clips and materials in stimulating reminiscence for people with dementia. In this paper, we adopt a broader, trans-disciplinary perspective of film, drawing on evidence from Film Studies that shared spectatorship has social and emotional benefits for the viewer. We offer the first qualitative study of care home residents’ social, emotional and embodied engagement with feature-length film and identify the key benefits of film in this setting. We ran social film screenings in two Scottish care homes over six weeks. Underpinned by psycho-cinematic theory, we collected and analysed observational data alongside interviews with care home staff and discussion groups with residents. Our findings identified three ways in which film screenings benefit residents and supports social connection: prompting reminiscence; enhancing residents’ experiences in the present; and creating a shared future and intergenerational connections. The paper offers useful insights into the rich potential for film to enhance the care home community, facilitate social connectivity and promote resident wellbeing.

Keywords

care homesfilmpsycho-cinematicssocial connectivitymeaningful activity
Type
Article
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 41 , Issue 11 , November 2021 , pp. 2615 - 2640
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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