Sensory Service pilots sign language course for care homes
ECL’s Sensory service is delivering British Sign Language (BSL) lessons to local care homes as part of a pilot inspired by the Rose Ayling-Ellis series ‘Old Hands, New Tricks.’
‘Old Hands, New Tricks’ follows Rose Ayling-Ellis as she embarks on an experiment to teach a group of retirees BSL to transform their lives as their hearing declines.
The series highlights the need for more sign language support in retirement settings. A sentiment that resonated with ECL’s Sensory team, motivating the service to launch a BSL course for care homes.
In addition to supporting people who are partially sighted, blind, hard of hearing, deaf or deafblind to live independently, ECL’s sensory service also helps organisations to be more sensory aware and inclusive through the provision of CPD accredited training.
Having previously undertaken ECL’s ‘Sensory Champions’ training, Cherry Wood Grange jumped at the opportunity to be a part of the new BSL pilot.
The Chelmsford care home, which recently won the Community Partnerships Award at the Essex Care Sector Awards: The Prospers 2025 is the first home to take part in the course.
Over six weeks, residents and staff learnt the basics of BSL in weekly classes taught by ECL Sensory Training Facilitator, Saydi Appleby.
Saydi said: “Everyone at Cherry Wood has done really well. Learning a new skill like BSL is tricky! They are learning a new language. The manual dexterity that it takes in addition to the memory recall required is significant, but everyone has picked it up really quickly. It’s great that they’ve had the opportunity to try something different.
“An estimated 75% of older people experience some form of hearing loss, a number that is expected to rise to 80% by 2032. It can make them feel isolated and frustrated. Which is why it’s so important for both care home staff and residents to have a level of understanding of BSL to communicate with those who use it as their preferred method of communication. This isn’t just individuals with hearing loss, people that struggle with speech for example, as a result of a stroke, can also rely on BSL as a way of communicating.”
As well as the fundamentals, the group also got into the festive spirit, learning to sign Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas,’ which they proudly performed around the Christmas tree in their last class on 15 December 2025.
Watch their performance
It’s been brilliant....I am so proud of both the residents and staff; they’ve done really well. No one is ever too old to learn and what our residents have achieved just proves that!
Sue Smith, Manager, Cherry Wood Grange Care Home
Sue Smith, Manager at Cherry Wood Grange said: “It’s been brilliant. Everyone has really enjoyed it. I am so proud of both the residents and staff; they’ve done really well. No one is ever too old to learn and what our residents have achieved just proves that!
“Six weeks ago I wouldn’t have dreamed that we would be able to sign a whole song. As the weeks have progressed, the group has really grown in confidence, it’s been fantastic to see.”
Cherry Wood Grange resident David Scolt, thoroughly enjoyed the course and plans to continue with his BSL learning. He hopes to teach his daughter and granddaughter what he has learnt so that they can all practice together.
David said: “I did the course because it seemed like an interesting challenge. I don’t have hearing loss but it seemed like a great skill to have in case I meet people who use BSL. I was hooked from the first session, it’s been invigorating! It’s harder than I thought it would be, but I really enjoyed it.
“It is a great activity to offer in a care home as it’s something different to do and it keeps the brain working! I will keep going with it, I want to get my daughter and granddaughter to learn with me. My 11-month old great grandson uses baby sign and some of the phrases are the same so I can sign with him too!”
Located on Writtle Road in Chelmsford, Cherry Wood Grange is a dementia specialist care home that also provides residential, nursing and end of life care.
Cherry Wood Grange prides itself on providing a home from home environment as well as its creative approach to sourcing activities for its residents. The home offers a wide variety of lifestyle options that challenge the stereotype of ‘typical’ residential care activities.
Sue Smith says: “We are always on the lookout for new activities that are not only fun but that challenge, aid cognitive health, and deliver a sense of achievement. The BSL course ticks all of these boxes and I’d love us to take it further. While we don’t have anyone that uses BSL living with us at the moment, we might in the future, and thanks to this course my team and residents are now confident that they could use it to communicate with them more effectively.”
If you are a residential care home that interested in taking part in ECL’s BSL pilot contact: Deborah Holden, ECL Sensory Local Business Manager by emailing Deborah.Holden2@essexcares.org.