Celebrating life at Barchester

Staff have welcomed a new General Manager to head up the team. Prior to starting in this position Sandra was Manager of another of Barchester’s care home in Croydon and has recently relocated to Leeds to be nearer to her family who live in Barwick in Elmet.

New General Manager, Sandra said: “I am delighted to join the team here at Cookridge Court and am enjoying meeting and getting to know our residents. Whilst not a native of Yorkshire I am very familiar with the Leeds area going back to 1991 when my Dad became Chief Executive at Yorkshire Cricket Club.”

We have been busy in our Memory Lane community lately. Our residents chose to make a rhubarb crumble and when it had cooled down a little, we enjoyed it for our dessert. It was very tasty.  

We have been decorating biscuits with icing sugar, sprinkles and chocolate. These we enjoyed for our afternoon tea. Our residents chose to make some chocolate krispies, as the Nursery Children on a previous visit had made some and this got our taste buds going, to make some of our home. 

Baking club is quite popular, and we are already thinking of what else to make.     

We kicked off our Easter celebrations with the judging of our children's colouring competition. It was a hard decision as they were all so good, and our three judges liked them all.

So... we decided everyone's a winner.   

We recently paid our first visit of the year to Bluebell Woods in Arlington.

The weather was glorious for a ramble in the woods and what a beautiful sight was waiting. There were carpets of bluebells, swathes of wood anemone and pale primroses. The scent was divine and the peace and tranquillity uplifting. 

The residents here always look forward to this time of year, visiting the bluebells is a firm favourite. The residents were captivated and delighted.          

We were very proud to host the local WI Group for their Annual General Meeting. 

The meeting took place in one of our lounges and was followed by an afternoon tea in our dining room. Our chef, Enrico, produced an amazing spread of sandwiches and savoury and sweet treats for all to enjoy.
We are extremely grateful to our local WI group for their help and support since our home opened almost three years ago. They have promoted our knit and natter group and attended regularly. 

They have initiated projects such as knitted blankets and even a knitted Christmas tree which was displayed at the local church. We were so happy to host them and look forward to all our future gatherings.       

Our dedicated postman, Bruce, had a truly eventful morning delivering beautiful roses and heartfelt cards to the wonderful residents and staff here at Lawton Rise. 

The smiles on their faces when they received these tokens of love were priceless! It’s always heart-warming to see the joy that these small gestures can bring.     

Happy Mother's Day to all of our wonderful mums, grandmas and great-grandmas. You are all so very special and loved so much. 

Today we celebrate you, your strength, your kindness, your sacrifices, your comfort and your patience. We had a lovely day celebrating all the incredible, lovely ladies and enjoyed an afternoon tea with our loved ones.     

Thank you to everybody who came and joined us in celebrating our amazing mums and grandmas. 

Just in time for Easter, we were so excited to share that all six of our lovely chicks have now hatched!

They’ve already become little celebrities here and all the residents absolutely adore them. Watching them grow and explore has brought so many smiles and happy moments for everyone. 

What a perfect way to welcome the Easter weekend - we'll keep sharing updates as they grow.    

During the recent session on Parkinson's disease, Dr. Goriparthi engaged with resident staff and families in a thoughtful discussion aimed at enhancing understanding and support for individuals affected by this condition. He emphasised the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, highlighting how caregivers, medical professionals, and family members can collaborate to improve the quality of life for patients. Dr. Goriparthi shared insights on the latest treatment options, including medication and therapy, and stressed the significance of early intervention. 

The session also provided a platform for families to voice their concerns, ask questions, and share experiences, creating a supportive environment that fosters community and empowerment in managing Parkinson's disease. This dialogue not only informed but also strengthened relationships among staff, patients, and their families, underscoring the humanistic aspect of care in neurology.