AshfieldsBarchester Healthcare

Activities at Ashfields Care Home

At Ashfields, we strive to make our care and services as person-centred as we possibly can, and this includes our provision of activities. We will give prospective residents a 'Getting to Know Me' booklet to fill out with their loved ones before their arrival, which includes a little life history and a tick sheet for a vast amount of activities. This enables us to offer bespoke activities and helps us to learn valuable information about residents and what might stimulate them in conversations and trips.

Our specialist activities and lifestyle staff make sure there are always meaningful activities to take part in, such as gardening, baking and trips out to various locations nearby, including local cathedrals, cafés, garden centres and much more.

Residents are encouraged to take part and we try to get every person out at least once a month to places they might be interested in visiting, but it is always their choice, ultimately. We believe that having choice is very integral in helping residents feel that they still have control of their lives.

Activities are provided by everyone in our home, from Carers and specialised activities staff, right through to the admin team.

We are a registered member of the National Activity Providers Association (NAPA), which means that we are always working to make the quality of life of all residents as high as possible by offering person-centred activities that aim to stimulate both mentally and physically.

Read our brochure ‘Life-enriching activities’ for more information about life in our care homes.

Read our brochure

Xen Greenwood

Activities Coordinator

My name is Xen and I am lucky enough to be the Activities Coordinator here at Ashfields.

I have experience working in care homes in Activities and leisure and lifestyle roles. In my own time I love to go antique shopping and making crafts.

I love being part of the Ashfields team and supporting our residents to live their best lives with fun, interesting, and varied activities available every week. I always feel its important for the residents to have the opportunity to explore new interests as well as keeping up with previous interests and hobbies.

Celebrating life at Ashfields Care Home

What a birthday treat.

At Ashfields Care Home our Activities Team make sure that all our Residents birthdays are celebrated in style. Each birthday is truly valued and is an opportunity to create special memories for our Residents and their families.

Sarah enjoyed a birthday cake made by our Head Chef and was delighted by a Flautist and everyone joined in to sing her a truly Happy Birthday.

Intergenerational Fun

At Ashfields Care Home we know that intergenerational activity is hugely beneficial to all involved as it encourages communication and social skills. Intergenerational contact also helps to develop language and reading confidence through shared activities, as well as increasing confidence and self-esteem. Lastly it helps children to develop empathy, care and kindness, helping them to understand and talk more positively about ageing and older people.

Our Residents enjoyed a visit from our friends the Debutots Norwich and North East Norfolk they joined us for a morning of storytelling, singing & fun. It was great to smiles all round from youngsters to elders.

A visit to the Sainsbury Centre UEA

At Ashfields Care Home we support and encourage our residents to continue doing the things they love whilst also making new friends and exploring new adventures.

Our Residents enjoyed a trip to the University of East Anglia's Sainsbury Centre, famous for it's art displays and sculptures. After a warm afternoon touring the site viewing the sculptures everyone enjoyed a cooling ice cream.

Supporting residents to enjoy outings, shopping, meals out and other trips is a key aspect of the weekly activities calendar.

Twit Twit Twoo

Animal therapy is one of the cornerstones of our life enrichment program and features regularly on our resident-led weekly activity planner.

Our Residents enjoyed a visit from Evie's Owls this week and there was even a baby owl know as an Owlet. Residents at Ashfields Care Home were allowed to handle the Owls and they Owls also made some room visits. Smiles and twit twoo's alround.

Residents at Ashfields Care Home love the animal therapy sessions that our dedicated Activities Team organise. As one of the foundations of our Life Enrichment program, we know that animal therapy can help reduce blood pressure and improve overall cardiovascular health.

A trip to the Broads

Regular outings are just one aspect of our life enrichment program and all the trips we take are at the request of the residents. Our monthly activities calendar boasts a range of outings and entertainment.

Our Residents enjoyed a trip to the Norfolk Broads and enjoyed messing about by the water. Some cake and Ice cream was truly deserved and looks like the ducks and Swans enjoyed keeping them company.

By taking regular feedback and requests from our residents we can enhance our life enrichment program to suit the interests of the residents.

What a 101

What a 101st birthday it was for one of our Residents at Ashfields Care Home.

Nancy one of our residents who has been with us quite some time loves Opera. So the team at Ashfields arranged for a local Opera singer to come and give Nancy a special birthday treat.

As you can see it was certainly a birthday to treasure.

80th V.E Day Celebrations

National celebrations and family-friendly events are just some of the ways that we ensure the residents at Ashfields remain connected with their loved ones and the wider community.

Our Residents enjoyed celebrating not only V.E Day but one of our Residents birthdays. Our Chefs provided a special V.E day buffet and made a V.E Day birthday cake. There were smiles all around as the Residents enjoyed singing along to some 1940s classics.

Norwich Cathedral organ recital

Supporting residents to enjoy outings, shopping, meals out and other trips is a key aspect of the weekly activities calendar.

Ashfields Residents enjoyed a trip to Norwich Cathedral for an organ recital. The Cathedral has one of the largest pipe organs in the U.K and was refurbished recently. Afterwards our Residents enjoyed taking a tour of the Cathedral and it's clositers.

Easter Bunny Hunt

A Big thank you to all our visitors for the Easter Bunny Hunt.

Ensuring that we host events that relatives and friends can join is very important to us here at Ashfields Care Home.

We had a great hunt and the children who visited loved our lucky dip and picked many a treat. The creepy critters went down a storm with the children and our Residents getting some hands on expertise.

At Ashfields Care Home we love hosting events that we can open up to our relatives, friends and the wider community. Life at Ashfields is about being part of the local community.