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A resource hub supporting activity coordinators to upskill and deliver person-centred wellbeing as part of everyday life in senior care.

A wellbeing lifestyle 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 Zoom workshops (up to 2.5 hours) for activity coordinators or 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 Content Library

Training can be developed to suit the needs of your team and care setting.


1. Foundations for Quality Senior Care

Essential knowledge staff need to support resident and day care client quality of life.

2. Care Team Deliverables

Practical activities staff can deliver individually or in groups.

3.  A 52-Week Senior Wellbeing Framework & Resources

A structured approach to planning and delivering resident-focused activities throughout the year, with practical tools and ongoing support.

4.  Essence 52 facilitator training
A structured 5-week staff training programme to equip your team with the knowledge, skills, and resources to deliver the full Essence 52® wellbeing framework, with ongoing support for 12 months.

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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.


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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