Mathew is a second year doctoral student at UCL. He is currently training under Dr Ally Tomlins, who is the Head of Psychology and a Clinical Psychologist Consultant at Nightingale Hammerson.
Reflecting on his six-month placement at Hammerson House, he feels the experience has enabled him to build genuinely meaningful relationships with Residents. Forming deep and personal connections have not always felt possible during other placements.
“Dr. Tomlins guides us and at the same time encourages us to bring our whole selves into the work,” he says.
Working as a psychologist there is a natural boundary between the professional and the client. During this placement, Mathew was encouraged to embrace the relational aspect of the role. This approach helped Residents to feel more at ease and secure, cultivating a sense of comfort and trust within the therapeutic setting.
Mathew facilitates a group where Residents are invited to share stories about their identities. The weekly sessions are intentionally informal. They are relaxed, conversational and less clinical, encouraging Residents to participate, open up and feel heard by one another.
“There are many negative connotations about ageing and being an older person living in a care home,” Mathew explains. “My aim is to highlight the individual, their achievements and challenges, the richness of their life experiences. It’s about valuing each person for who they are as an individual, not simply as an older person.”
During his placement, Mathew formed a particularly meaningful connection with Shirley, a Resident and artist who studied at St Martin’s School of Art (now Central Saint Martins).
“We really got to know each other,” Mathew recalls. “I learnt what mattered to her. We talked a lot about art. She even taught me some rudimentary drawing skills. It was important for Shirley to be able to share this incredible skill she has and to feel valued.”
For Shirley, sharing her artistic knowledge was deeply significant. Teaching Mathew allowed her to reconnect with her identity as an artist and a mentor, reinforcing the importance of her skills and experiences even whilst living in a care home.
In Shirley’s words, “Mathew gave me an insight into life. We talked about many things. He really listened to me. I felt valued as a person and an artist. He is one of the most charming people I have ever met.”
Dr. Tomlins encourages her students to work creatively with Residents. Rather than adhering strictly to a formal structure, they are inspired to work individually, to discover what resonates with each person.
Before leaving, Mathew handed out personalised, handwritten cards to each Resident he had worked with.
“I will miss the people I’ve come to know,” Mathew reflects. “For me, it has been a two-way process. I feel I’ve gained as much from these inspirational, resilient people as I hope they have from working with me. Their wisdom has taught me so much, not just professionally but also personally”.
Examples of the techniques Shirley taught Mathew:
