Activities at South Chowdene Care Home

We were delighted to welcome the ladies from The Chev back into the home to talk us through the Jewish festival of Passover, which runs from 12th to 20th April this year.

We heard all about the history of the festival and the symbolism around the Seder plate. We found out why unleavened bread/Matzo are eaten and just how perfectly Jewish homes must be cleaned before Passover.

All this knowledge was put to the test with a quiz, and we made up our own Seder Plate.

We had a reflective evening as we caught up with this year’s World Health Day theme – ‘Healthy beginnings hopeful futures’, which sparked a lot of debate and reminiscence around homebirths, maternity provision and the introduction of immunisations. Residents then had great fun answering general questions in a health and wellbeing quiz.

We followed this up with some ‘Smoothie’ making in preparation for some tasty hydration on summer tea trolleys and discussed the benefits of smoothies not only in hydration but also in the consumption of vitamins and minerals.

That was certainly the case as a fantastic Spring Panto came to South Chowdene. Residents were given the chance to reminisce around all the favourite musicals encompassed in this stunning show.

There was sublime=me singing and total amazement at the fantastic routines performed by Peggy and Dotty who really drew us into the clever story made up from the melting pot of great shows.

Staff and residents took part in traditional celebrations to mark Passover which this year began on April 12th and ends on April 20th.

Eva Proctor, a resident, said: “It is wonderful that we are able to keep up these very special traditions and celebrate holy days and festivals from all religions. It has been a lovely few days.  I very much enjoyed working with The Chev to make up the Seder plate and to hear about life in their homes at present. They also told us of the story of the Exodus from Egypt, that is always my favourite part of Passover.”
 

On Saturday 8th March, Activity Coordinators from across the area got together at the Shipley Art Gallery to receive ‘Tyne and Derwent Way in a Box’ made by Tyne Derwent Way in a box is ‘An intergenerational project enabling creative young people to experience the Tyne Derwent Way as an immersive sensory experience and ten share those experiences with people who can’t experience the Way themselves.

Representatives from the group told us about how they went to the Derwent Walk and collected leaves, plants and flowers to dry and press in order to make up sensory mixes in a bag. There is also a shaker made using foraged materials for sound and the young people had also made vinyl coverings for the shakers in keeping with the theme of the box.

They used some interesting photographic techniques in order to produce leaf print backdrops and worked with scent specialists to create sprays of different scents which can be used on the dry matter bags.

 

Residents and staff celebrated all things Irish for St Patrick’s Day this week. The home was decorated with shamrocks and everyone dressed in green to mark the day.

Staff and residents at the home marked the day by making a Baileys Tiffin, listening to live fiddle music, playing Irish themed games and going on a virtual tour of Ireland. Chef Michelle prepared a fantastic Irish spread including Steak and Guinness Pie with Colcannon all washed down with Guinness or Baileys.