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THE RESOURCE HUB SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS ACROSS SENIOR CARE

Training activity coordinators and care teams to deliver person-centred wellbeing as part of everyday life.

A wellbeing lifestyle in senior care means embedding wellbeing into everyday routines, interactions, and environments—not just scheduled activities.


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Essence 52® Training

All courses are short, live training workshops with self-paced online modules (up to 2.5 hours) designed for group bookings by activity coordinators and healthcare assistants in residential care and day centres across Ireland and the UK.


Each session is practical and evidence-informed, focusing on sensory engagement, memory stimulation, and meaningful participation to enhance daily life for older adults in care.


Training can be delivered online for staff groups across Ireland and the UK. In-house training for nursing home teams is also available throughout Ireland on request.


Training library

Training is organised into three categories:

  1. Foundation Courses

  2. Practical Sessions

  3. A 12 Theme, 52-Week Lifestyle Programme

Together, these support meaningful engagement throughout the year. Courses may be taken individually or combined to meet the needs of your care setting.







Foundations Courses


Introducing the core principles that support wellbeing, meaningful engagement, and quality of life in senior care.

practical sessions


Structured wellbeing sessions that support sensory engagement, reminiscence, relaxation, and meaningful participation in senior care.

A 12 Theme, 52-Week Lifestyle Programme


Provides a flexible structure for creating an engaging lifestyle within residential care while giving activity coordinators the freedom to adapt activities to the interests, abilities, and preferences of their residents.



Essence 52 Facilitator Training


A comprehensive 5-week training programme with self-paced content and a 1-hour weekly workshop that brings together the key elements of the Foundation Courses, Practical Sessions, and 52-Week Lifestyle Programme into a structured learning experience. Participants receive ongoing monthly support and recognition as an Essence 52 Facilitator.

Courses are available for group bookings

The Essence 52® Framework 
52 weeks of downloadable resources

Looking for ways to inspire engagement and participation among your residents?


The Essence 52® framework is a wellbeing lifestyle approach with a centred weekly topic to promote connection and participation. It offers flexible choices to suit individual preferences, helping activity coordinators and healthcare assistants embed meaningful, sensory-rich experiences into daily life in residential care or day centres.

The framework includes:

  • 12 themes with 52 weeks of downloadable resources to support ongoing practice and engagement

  • Monthly 1-hour live workshops to provide guidance, share best practice, and discuss practical applications


Each element is designed to give you a practical, adaptable toolkit to embed person-centred wellbeing consistently throughout the year.


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All five senses

The Essence 52® curriculum uses 52 plant topics and multi-sensory aids to engage all five senses, creating inclusive experiences for every resident. Carefully selected essential oils enhance the sense of smell, supporting learning, memory recall, and meaningful participation.

Interesting

Every week introduces a new topic with hands-on activities to spark curiosity, creativity, and participation. Ideas range from arts and crafts, horticulture, and baking to cultural events, outings, and research-based activities, offering something for every resident and supporting a meaningful daily routine.


Flexible

Activities can be tailored for individuals, groups, or residents joining family outings, all with a purposeful connection to the weekly topic. This approach fosters community and shared experiences, while still allowing residents to engage according to their personal interests and abilities.

Designed for inclusivity, the Essence 52® wellbeing framework allows themes to be customised to reflect cultural and religious events, enabling activity coordinators to create meaningful experiences for every resident.


Essence 52 wellbeing framework training: Frequently asked questions

How can Essence 52 benefit both small independent nursing homes and large nursing home groups?

Essence 52 is an ideal wellbeing partner for both small nursing homes and large nursing home groups. Upskilling your current staff can reduce the expense of outsourcing independent activity providers.
For the smaller nursing homes with just one activity coordinator, a carer can also be trained to become an Essence 52 facilitator, ensuring residents can have a meaningful life in residential care every day. The staff members will feel part of a larger community of Essence 52 facilitators and also can benefit from weekly resources and regular online support workshops. 
For large nursing home groups Essence 52 can provide consistency of service, with potential residents knowing they will get the same high quality trained activity staff. 

Where can I find out about the benefits of Essence 52?

It is simple to create an account and complete the free 10 minute Step 1 introduction course to find out how Essence 52 can benefit all the stakeholders in residential care. Just click the link below:

How can I introduce Essence 52 into my nursing home?

Essence 52 facilitator training is available to existing nursing home Activity Coordinators or Healthcare Assistance. Please fill in the contact form to organise a 30 minute online presentation with Liz. 
Essence 52 is supported by LHP SKillnet and Enterprise Ireland's New Frontiers.

 Below is the Residential Care Spotlight: LHP Skillnet Interview with Essence 52’s Liz Woods
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