Silver Circus Archives - Skylight Circus Arts

Silver Circus: Bringing Joy to Care Homes

by Charma Force | Mar 7, 2025 | News, Projects, Silver Circus

As we get older, play and social connections often diminish. Skylight Circus Arts aims to uplift and spark creativity once again in local care homes for the elderly in Rochdale.

Skylight’s current project, Silver Circus works with older people, who often don’t have opportunities to engage in the arts. By using circus skills as a tool to help people relax, achieve and work together, the project brings back smiles, self-belief, and a sense of playfulness and reconnection. Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund we’ve extended some of our work into local Rochdale care homes for the elderly.

Beechwood Lodge & Belvoir Care Home

Over the past eight weeks our circus tutors, Mick and Martine have been welcomed with open arms at Beechwood Lodge Care Home and Belvoir Care Home, both located in Rochdale. These homes support the elderly with dementia who are in residential care. Through our Silver Circus project, Skylight has been bringing circus skills into the homes, creating opportunities for residents to play, inspire creativity, and develop connections with their fellow residents.

Engaging and Inclusive Activities

People naturally seek comfort in familiarity, and we recognise that having two new faces enter the homes of those with dementia can sometimes feel confusing, overwhelming, and uncomfortable. Our work is thoughtfully planned to help people relax, feel achievement, and build relationships. Each session began with everyone sitting together in a circle and passing around our colourful circus bunting to create a big circus ring!

Over the weeks, this developed into a belly giggling and childhood favourite for both the residents and staff, rowing back and forth while singing (and giggling) Row, Row Your Boat. Starting each week with the same predictable and accessible activity meant everyone was put at ease, knowing what to expect.

“Each week the residents have improved as they know what to do from previous sessions, this has helped with the residents that can be quite anxious. Throughout the sessions, the residents have been ‘belly laughing’ and making jokes with the Skylight staff.”

– Care Home Staff

Adapted Circus Skills

As we get older, our grip, movement and strength can decrease, making it tricky for some people to access some physical activities.

During our sessions, residents sat together in a circle to have a go a plate spinning. Using our colourful spinning plates balanced on chunky gripped sticks to support those that need it. The groups had a great time passing the plates to one another around the circle.

Juggling was a firm favourite for some of the residents. We broke down the cascade juggling pattern to roll balls to one another across a long narrow table, building up to a juggling pattern. Some of the residents enjoyed playing and experimenting rolling the balls and loved to see how the order in which they rolled the balls created the same pattern when our circus staff then demonstrated the juggling!

“How wonderful. I do enjoy throwing and catching those juggling balls… Wahoo”

– Belvoir Care Home Resident

Fostering Social Connection

Social interaction was at the heart of these sessions. Staff at both care homes shared that residents don’t often have the opportunity to interact with everyone in the building.

Our Silver Circus Sessions bring everyone together, creating moments of laughter, encouragement, and support. The Hoopla game was another firm favourite! Playing together in a circle, tossing juggling rings onto metal shaker cups in the centre of the room. It was lovely to hear the residents cheering one another on!

“We at Breechwood have thoroughly enjoyed the workshops and are a bit sad its come to an end! The workshop was at an excellent pace for the residence and families. The families have mentioned how great the workshop has been for their loved ones.”