The Best Care Is Like Sunshine: Accessing Older People’s Experiences of Living in Care Homes Through Creative Writing

This study explored the value of creative writing as an activity in a long term residential setting. A series of seven workshops were facilitated in a nursing home in the United Kingdom by a professional writer. Eight older women in their 80s and 90s with varying degrees of physical and sensory impairment participated in the workshops. A thematic analysis of the women’s work identified five key themes: Being confronted by loss, Unlocking memories, Re-discovering the self, Change and adaptation, Giving and receiving care. Their writings provide unique insights as to how older women reflect on their lives and experiences, following their move into long term care.