A deeply moving moment of reflection and connection recently took place at Rowena House Care Home, part of the Runwood Homes Group, as resident Averill revisited cherished memories of her late mother, who had been a resident at the home 22 years ago.
While speaking with Debbie, Lifestyle Coordinator at Rowena House, Averill shared how meaningful it felt to now be living in the same place where her mother once resided. Debbie, who has worked at Rowena House for over 40 years, remembered Averill’s mother well and suggested looking through the home’s photo archives to see if any memories had been preserved.
Together with her two daughters, Home Manager Vickie, and Debbie, Averill spent time exploring decades of archived photographs of former residents and community life at Rowena House. During this emotional and joyful reminiscence session, Averill discovered several photographs of her mother, along with images of other local residents she had known and grown up with.
One particularly special moment came when Averill found the first photograph of her mum and smiled, saying:
“This is amazing — I look just like my mum.”
The atmosphere throughout the experience was warm, happy, and deeply emotional. It created a space for storytelling, reflection, and shared memories, strengthening bonds between Averill, her family, and the Rowena House team.
This moment was especially important as it brought back happy memories for Averill, allowed her to reconnect with her personal history, and gave her the opportunity to share meaningful stories about her mother with her daughters and staff, all with a smile. The experience had a profoundly positive effect on her wellbeing and emotional health.
Rowena House remains committed to creating meaningful, person-centred experiences that honour residents’ life stories, memories, and emotional wellbeing, ensuring every resident feels valued, heard, and connected to their past as well as their present.
