Activities at Ashminster House Care Home
Activities at Ashminster are based on residents' life histories. We host music workshops and encourage participation in a number of other activities, including gentle exercise, bingo and gardening. Monthly live singers entertain everyone with music from the 50s, 60s and 70s and residents are encouraged to interact with the musical instruments. Sensory sessions with fibre optic lights and touch & feel blankets are provided, which can be calming to those living with dementia. Residents participate in cooking sessions and enjoy the aromas of bread, scones and cakes - and, of course, sampling the finished product over a cuppa! We promote family values at Ashminster, and those we support can enjoy reminiscing about family events in the past, including weddings and previous occupations.
Elaine Hilden
I have worked at Ashminster House since 2003, first as a carer then progressing to activities coordinator, which has know as 'Head of Lifestyle'. I have a wealth of experience in my role, as well as NVQs in Health and Social Care, Activities in the Care Setting and Dementia.
I am passionate about fulfilling residents' lives by getting to know each individual with a person-centred approach, learning about their experiences and helping them to express themselves, such as through reminiscing with items of old.
My interests outside of work include antiques, dogs and spending time with my family.
Read our brochure 'Life-enriching activities' for more information about life in our care homes.
Read our brochure
Activities and Events Partnerships
As part of our bespoke life-enrichment programmes, we host a number of live virtual events in the home on a regular basis through a number of partnerships with places of interest and world class performance companies
Life at Ashminster House Care Home
A Home of Love and Roses
Flower arranging is a weekly event at Ashminster House, even more special as it was valentine’s day.
Residents followed a demonstration of flower arranging by activities co-ordinator Elaine. Residents gave roses out to staff to show them how much they are loved here at Ashminster house.
Visitors commented on the smells of the home and that flowers brings the home alive.
A Visit from Santa
At Christmas, all of our residents enjoyed a surprise visit from Santa. Not only did he come along and fill our home with Christmas cheer, he also delivered presents to each resident - somehow, he knew exactly what each person wanted.
Bread Baking
Residents here at Ashminster House love making a baking bread. Kneading the dough can be good exercise too, but the final result is always worth the effort!
Book Club
Here at Ashminster house, staff enjoy learning about residents life histories. We then find books of interest for them to enjoy. The gentlemen in the photo worked and lived all over Kent.
Apple Picking in our gardens
Here at Ashminster House we like to make dreams come true. The resident in the photo owned many fruit farms and expressed to staff that he was missing the apple picking session. In Ashminster garden we have many apple trees where our resident was able to pick the apples to make his dream come true.
Remembrance Day
Residents visited the Memorial Gardens in Ashford to lay a homemade poppy cross for the fallen on the 11/11 2022.
