Bucket-List Wishes Or How To Be A Human-Centred Agency dedicated to telling stories

Care homes can be heavily stigmatised in the media as being uncaring, clinical and just plainly dull places, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

They can be places of some fascinating stories, like a library of long and experienced lives, which come with their own stories & anecdotes, and they are all eager to relay to you their nuanced and unique tales.

This can be a great asset to an agency that cares about telling human stories, and fulfilling stories that are still to be told. Which in turn, is great from a marketing viewpoint.

Bucket lists are a great way to get to know someone. They can be full of hopes and dreams, things that have been experienced and accomplished, or even just a list of things to do before you die. No matter what the contents of the list, they always tell a story about the person who made them.

For agencies that are dedicated to telling stories, Bucket Lists can be a gold mine. They provide insight into what people want to do with their lives, what they value, and what kinds of experiences they are hoping to have. By learning about someone's Bucket List, you can get a better understanding of who they are as a person and what kind of story they have to tell.

So if you're ever feeling stuck for ideas, why not ask your friends and family about their Bucket Lists? You might be surprised at the kinds of stories you hear.

So how can you be a human-centred agency dedicated to telling stories? It's simple:

1. Get to know the people in the care home. Spend time talking to them, listening to their stories and getting to know them as individuals.

2. Use those stories to create content that is interesting, engaging and relatable. 

3. Share that content with the world, and help to change the perception of care homes from being places of misery to places of hope, love and positivity.

As someone who is on the front-line (so-to-speak), I talk to alot of care home residents, sometimes in passing, sometimes for in-depth conversations about living in London during WWII, hearing the bombs falling from overhead, how terrified they were, even though when telling me, they have a glint in their eyes, as though they feel privileged to be able to tell the story.

From these conversations, we can sometimes unearth little nuggets of gold, dreams and wishes not yet fulfilled. As their days are dwindling, some of these residents can think of nothing else but making their vision a reality, from something as riding in a tank (yes, we did that), from reliving days of modelling in Vogue (also this), to an inspiring story of perseverance, creativity and breath-taking art. We, Pic PR, truly believe in granting these dreams and making them a reality (kind of like a genie - but if all 35 of us were squeezed into a magic lamp)

Here at Pic PR, we want to make a difference and bring joy to the lives of those in care homes. By fulfilling their bucket-list wishes and sharing their stories with the world, we hope to change the negative stigma often associated with these vibrant communities filled with unique individuals living fulfilling lives.

Here are some of those aforementioned stories:

Ron In A Tank

British Army Veteran Ron Pendry took his wife on a date like no other. Instead of a limo, Ron and his wife took a joy-ride in an 8-tonne armoured tank, bringing back memories of his career.

The story got international interest with FOX News being one such outlet who covered it thoroughly; this is clearly just amongst others that love these type stories from around world (and media).

Lesley In Vogue

Lesley modelled for YSL and Vogue in the 1960s, and we arranged a photoshoot with a former photographer from Vogue. Lesley was able to be pampered by a makeup artist & wardrobe assistant, and the results could be seen in The Daily Mail & The Daily Mirror.

Marnie’s Art Exhibition

Marnie Johnston suffered a life-threatening stroke on Christmas Eve 2019, leaving her bound to a wheelchair and speech difficulties. Marnie’s life was changed after this. After three years of rehabilitation she discovered that, against all odds, has emerged as a talented and inspiring artist. Her beautiful pieces of artwork were hung in an art exhibition in London, for everyone to see, along with all of Marnie’s friends and family.

If you have any residents that need a dream fulfilled, or have always wanted to do something, but never had the chance, we can help them, from arranging to capturing the event, to letting the world know what you’re doing. Get in touch, we’d love to help!