A Lush Experience at The Aldbury Care Home

Residents at The Aldbury were treated to a special sensory experience when Lush Poole visited for the first time.

The session, organised by Ross, involved 10 residents who had the opportunity to make their very own Comforter Crumble Bars, a bath product made from natural ingredients such as Blackcurrant and Cassis absolute.

Ross began by sharing the fascinating story of Lush’s origins, describing how it all started in a garden shed in 1988 in old town Poole. He also explained how Lush has grown, with stores now across the globe, starting with two in London in 1995.

As the session unfolded, residents eagerly took turns mixing the ingredients, creating a soft and soothing putty that would later set into a beautifully scented product. While the mixture rested, Ross introduced a fun game of Pictionary. The challenge was to sculpt various objects using the rainbow-coloured bath dough, with residents creating shapes such as cats, spiders, fish, and even a teddy bear. Some of the results were humorous, with Terry commenting, “My spider looks more like a skate,” while Muriel, assisted by Victoria, made a lovely fish.

Throughout the session, the residents enjoyed the sensory experience of touching, smelling, and working with the dough. Margaret Loh remarked, “Mmm, it smells nice” as she mixed the ingredients for the Comforter Bar, and Joyce, who had never made soap before, said, “It’s a great experience. I can’t wait to try it.” Valerie found joy in crafting a teddy bear, and Margaret Fitton was delighted by the lovely scent of the bath dough.

The session also introduced the residents to the sustainable sourcing of Lush products. Ross explained that local residents gather and dry seaweed, which is then used in Lush’s bath products, along with other locally sourced ingredients such as charcoal and sand.

To top off the experience, some of the Lush products created during the session will be raffled off to raise money for Prama Life, a charity chosen by The Aldbury.

The event was not only a fun and interactive experience for the residents but also a lovely way to engage their senses, inspire creativity, and connect them with the world outside the home.