THE sound of singing filled Trowbridge Oaks care home last Friday (June 28) afternoon when children from Castle Mead school and nursery sang baby shark with the residents.

After practising for weeks the children got to sing the song with the residents who had been busy making paper hats and artwork for the big performance.

The whole project was part of Trowbridge Oaks care home's initiate to encourage inter-generational activities.

Senior activities coordinator Ray Horan said: "Here at the home we always have our doors open to everyone, there is a real community feel.

"It has been great to welcome the children to our home today and it is lovely for them to see what a day is like here at Trowbridge Oaks.

"It is also very beneficial for our residents to interact with the young children, they are so engaged."

Angie Gordon is an artist who comes into the care home once every fortnight and has been helping the residents make their fish hats for the performance.

She said: "Art is widely recognised as being good for coordination, movement and creativity.

"It is great for the residents to get engaged in a project like this and work together.

"They also really enjoy seeing the finished product and they are proud that have created something from scratch."

Resident Bob Mead said: "Friday afternoon was such a great laugh for all of us, we all like singing and it is great to sing with the children.

Evlyen Trott said: "Being with the children reminds me of when my children were young and it is lovely memories.

"My daughter died in her 40's, so this really takes me back and is very comforting."

Castle Mead Primary pupil, Sophie,11 said: "I really enjoy singing ins school, we sing in assemblies and we also do shows. We really enjoyed singing at the care home."

A recent study carried out shows that creativity is being used in care homes to support residents’ mental and physical health, with research showing how art can even help treat dementia.

Multiple studies have shown how the arts have an enormous capacity to positively affect health outcomes.

For example, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing noted the growing body of evidence “which suggests a relationship between arts engagement and wellbeing in people with dementia."