Bringing Monet to Life at Home

Please note names have been changed to protect privacy.

At Thrive, we believe that creativity and imagination should never be limited by mobility or location. One of our colleagues recently brought this to life for Derek, a gentleman living in a care home with a deep love of art.

Derek's companion had been to see the immersive Monet exhibition which fuses huge projections of Monet paintings with music and soundscapes. She knew Derek would love it, but with his physical challenges a trip to London would be exhausting and potentially stressful for him.

So, with a bit of creative thinking, we managed to recreate the experience for him without the need to go anywhere. Using a YouTube collection of Monet’s paintings, a borrowed projector, and a large white sheet as a screen, our Thrive companion managed to transform a quiet room into a mini home cinema. Windows were dimmed with brown paper, speakers were connected to play relaxing classical music, and tea and biscuits were ready to enjoy.

Derek was comfortably settled in an armchair, and four other residents, intrigued by the experience, were invited to join. As the vivid brushstrokes of Monet filled the wall and music from Einaudi drifted through the room, Derek and his companions relaxed into the soothing display. Savouring the music and the art around them, Derek reflected, “What a beautiful morning.”

This is just one example of how our companions at Thrive Homecare think creatively to make meaningful, joyful moments possible, turning inspiration into experience, wherever someone calls home.

Our companionship service in Kent is built around understanding what matters to each person, helping them stay connected to the activities, interests and experiences that support wellbeing and quality of life.