Malio House is a small but innovative dementia specific hostel in the green hills on the north island of New Zealand. As our first facility member in New Zealand, owner Barbara Falconer is embracing the Spark of Life to transform the lives of her residents.
‘If we had done things the Spark of Life way (from the beginning), we could have avoided previous problems with negative attitudes,’ Barbara commented. By embracing personalised care and bringing the spark back into the daily lives of their residents with dementia, Malio House has changed public perceptions and feedback from the District Health Board has been very positive in terms of accreditation standards.
Theme Days 
A highlight of the new approach has been the implementation of theme days that are embraced with enthusiasm by staff and residents alike.
Valentines Day is a feature with residents and their spouses enjoying a special lunch in the ‘enchanted garden’, specially decorated for the occasion with streamers and love hearts. Each couple is treated to a lunch basket with champagne and heart-shaped sandwiches. This event is highly anticipated each year, as residents seem to relish the chance to rekindle a little romance.
Barbara has embraced the Spark of Life in their approach to care at Malio House. She said, ‘Staff were a bit sceptical at first, but once they learned the approach, perceptions changed. I think Spark of Life makes such a difference.’ Click here to learn more about Malio House.
Want to know how a Spark of Life Membership can transform your facility? Click here for more information.
Our online store has plenty of goodies to help you create your own theme day. Some of the items we have available for purchase include:
- Hug Hearts – these gorgeous 15cm hug hearts create magic moments for everyone involved. Each pack contains x10 hearts. Click here to learn more.
- Rainbow Wigs – a bright highlight of everyone’s day, our rainbow wigs are perfect for those Spark of Life advocates wanting that extra something to encourage fun and frivolity. Click here to learn more.
- Giant Silk Rainbow – sure to brighten any environment, our Giant Silk Rainbows measure 2m x 1m and are hand-painted by an Aura-Soma expert. Click here to learn more.