A simple video asking care home residents what they did before retirement has captured hearts around the world, with messages arriving from as far away as Germany and Canada.
Residents at Orchard House Care Home in Newport have been sharing a glimpse into their working lives as part of a reminiscence project that has attracted hundreds of reactions online.
The idea behind the video was simple – each resident held up a card revealing what they did for a living before they retired.
But behind each job title lies a lifetime of memories, from careers and colleagues to achievements and experiences stretching back decades.
Titled ‘What did you do before you retired?’, the video has received more than 300 reactions on social media, alongside messages from people both in the UK and overseas.
The response has given residents the chance not only to look back proudly on their own working lives, but also to share their memories and experiences with a much wider audience.
Katie Schlepp, Activities Coordinator at Orchard House, came up with the project.
She said:
“I wanted to create something simple but meaningful that put our residents and their stories at the heart of it. Every person here has lived an incredible life, and behind every job title there is a story.
“We never expected the video to receive such an amazing response. To see more than 300 reactions and beautiful messages coming from places such as Germany and Canada has been incredibly touching.
“Most importantly, our residents absolutely loved taking part and seeing how interested people were in their stories.”
The project forms part of Orchard House’s ongoing life enrichment programme, which aims to celebrate residents as individuals while encouraging reminiscence and creating opportunities for meaningful conversations and connections.
