Wigan care home provider shares heart-warming Christmas advert

The publicity is a first for North West care home provider Millennium Care and features Norley Hall care home, a place said to be “beaming with character.”

Resident Ellen “Lily” Nichols starred in the advert, playing the role of a lonely lady looking for company.

After Lily’s character is shown getting to love the home, she starts to come out of her shell, making friends and sharing Christmas with her new network of people.

Lily said: “I’ve had so much fun getting involved and playing my part, it was great fun! I simply couldn’t wait to see the final cut!”

Home manager Kathryn Rimmer said: “It was so emotional to watch it take form; Lily was a superstar and really played her part well.

"I think it’s so important to show people that not all care homes are bad, and Norley Hall is a beacon of hope for those looking for the right care home for their loved ones.

“Christmas can be hard for many, especially those who don’t have people to share the special day with, so seeing people happy at Christmas in the care home makes my job incredibly rewarding and I love sharing the festive period with our fantastic residents,”

Loneliness and social isolation are growing public health concerns in our ageing society.

According to BMC Public Health, 50 per cent of individuals aged over 60 are at risk of social isolation and one third will experience some degree of loneliness later in life.

Care homes’ potential to deliver a positive experience for residents is being undermined by stigma and mistrust surrounding staff and residents, found My Home Life.

But a recent Friends, Family and Advocates survey produced by Millennium Care said 96.5 per cent agreed that their homes were well managed.