Celebrating life at Barchester

The sun shone and we had a wonderful day celebrating the 75th Anniversary of VE Day. Three of our residents were based in India at the end of WW2.  We decorated our beautiful courtyards with bunting and flags, our chef conjured up some war time food, we sang songs and had a lovely tea party in the garden.

The local community group in Stonehouse that had planned the town’s celebrations sent us a box of goodies of food and drink as well as some fantastic knitted bunting.  Thank you Wendy and our Stonehouse friends.

Residents of Leeming Bar have been delighted each time they receive some beautiful handmade cards and messages from their loved ones and members of the community through their pen-pal initiative.

The residents have loved reading the messages in the cards and they have been displayed proudly in the home. As part of their recent arts & craft sessions, residents have been creating cards and messages to show and send to their loved ones; it is amazing how a simple letter, short story, poem or even a photo or drawing can brighten someone’s day.

Thank you to all the staff at Broadway Halls for doing such an amazing job. Although I can’t wait to see my mum, I do not have any worry or added stress as to how she is because I know she is getting the very best care.

Mrs.Mandy Black enjoyed the cocktail under the dryer, after one of our nurses, Mrs Nikki Correia, volunteered to do the hair of some of the ladies on her day off.

We always felt that our Mothers were well understood and well cared for and treated not only with compassion but also with love by those that looked after them.

As well as keeping in touch with families and friends via skype calls, our residents also enjoyed writing notes to loved ones and sending to families which began many conversations between each other via email.

Residents of our pen pal group have also connected with people all the way from Cardiff by sending postcards!

As I’ve not been able to see my Mother since the home went into lockdown, we as a family are truly grateful for the love and care that has been given to our Mother. We really appreciate the updates and knowing she is in safe hands.

It was very impressive how you managed to do all the checks and make sure that everything was in place (temperature checks, sanitisers, etc), yet still make the setting and visit very welcoming and relaxed.

Even though many of our residents have had to endure hardship throughout their lives (many of them have lived through at least one world war) the coronavirus crisis is new to them too. 

Our residents are very resilient, but great care was taken to observe their mental and physical well being during this even more difficult time. On hearing of the lockdown, we immediately sent around a flyer listing all of the one-to-one activities our team could offer them in their rooms. This list included memory games, draughts, dominoes, board games, cards, hand massages and nail painting, music and movement, relaxation sessions, drawing and sketching, or just a lovely chat over a cup of tea.

Every resident enjoyed these sessions at least once a day. We have also been taking a drinks trolley around the rooms; our residents love their lunch time sherry or glass of wine!

Residents spent time colouring rainbows and posing for photographs to send to their families recently at Laurel Bank to let them know that we’re doing well here, keeping busy and keeping hope alive. We will get through this together!

Staff, residents, loved ones and members of the community, including the local police, cheered on NHS staff and other key workers at Fordmill, who are helping to keep the country running during the coronavirus pandemic. Those who have recently lost a loved one, stood strong and everyone took a moment to remember as they showed their appreciation for our key workers.

We were delighted when some of Carlisle Section 4 officers did some socially distanced community engagement in various locations around Carlisle, handing out balloons to children, the elderly, and people who are experiencing lonely periods of self-isolation. They brightened people’s days in what can be a scary and anxious time for some. 

Meadow Park recently presented local community group, Bedlington Network with an array of food parcels to benefit members of the community. 

We welcomed Lindsey Jordan and Dan Wilkinson from the group to collect the bags of goodies, which staff from the home have donated to support those less fortunate in the community.

It’s amazing to receive such fantastic support from our residents and staff, and this will be a huge benefit to our community.

Residents of Bradshaw Manor have sent messages of support and encouragement during these challenging times to key workers and emergency services in the area, along with the Post Office and local supermarket, who are playing their roles in keeping communities together with their service.

Residents created the coloured ‘Thank You’ and ‘Keep Going’ wording, which were attached to a poster. Clarence House, the surgery who do our home's Wednesday morning GP round shared this story on social media, and they received a wonderful letter from the Royal Mail with their thanks. 

Please can you pass on our thanks to Maple Leaf care home in Grantham from the ambulance crew that visited them today, for the treats we found when we got back to our vehicle. They were very much appreciated and enjoyed. Stay safe!

The Oxfordshire Fire Brigade visited the home on 30th April to show their support for all essential workers. These were moments full of emotions!

To celebrate the Queen’s birthday and National Tea Day, the Queen came to visit us at Cepen Lodge and enjoyed a cup of tea with our residents in their rooms. Of course, she had to wear the correct PPE, which she did not mind; she already had her gloves on prepared! Here is David with the Queen enjoying a cup of Earl grey.

Thank you to West Bengal, who donated an emergency food parcel to members of the home's staff team. On behalf of Dovedale colleagues, they would like to pass on their gratitude for being considered at this time of uncertainty, and hope everyone stays safe and well. It was such a nice gesture, thinking of us care homes and everyone joining forces to keep the community spirit together!