Activities at Balclutha Court Care Home
At Balclutha Court our resident’s happiness is extremely important to us. We all know that a large part of this is keeping active and continuing to enjoy your interests and hobbies. At Balclutha Court, we have regular activities including arts and crafts, music, entertainment, trips to local attractions such as canal trips, safari parks and many more. Our activities team are always busy organising events, entertainment and excursions with the broadest possible appeal and many of our residents see living at Balclutha Court as an opportunity to develop a new skill or interest. It is important to us that each individual who we support can get as much from these as possible, so we try our best to arrange activities that reflect their interests and capabilities as best as possible, and encourage them to participate in any way they can. We also encourage relatives to join with activities and events as often as they can.
Karen Dillon
Karen Dillon is our Head of Activities and has worked within the home since 2005, starting out as a Carer. Karen is very outgoing and full of fun. She has many hobbies, with arts & crafts being her favourite, and her passion for this can be seen in our life enrichment programme.
Karen is supported by Kay Millar and Anita Marsh, between them they ensure that residents are happy and have loads of fun.
They are very keen to involve the residents in the decision making within the home to enhance their experience. They take part in the residents' meetings, catering forums and assist the General Manager in interviewing new staff members.
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 Balclutha Court Care Home
The Wild West
It was a case of west is best as Balclutha Court staged a USA-style country party for residents and staff, with everyone donning their Stetsons to become cowboys and cowgirls for the day.
There were also Red Indian squaws — and teeny guests from the home's pals at Glen Park Nursery. Country and western music got the party started and everyone tucked into burgers, hot dogs and southern fried chicken.
We hold theme days from time to time, but we've never had a wild west theme before. We had a photo booth with ‘Wanted' posters, country music, games, a tin pan alley and all the staff, and residents threw themselves into the spirit of it.
Everyone got involved, from the reception to kitchen staff and HR. The children from Glen Park Nursery come in here regularly, and the intergenerational work we do with them is fantastic. The nursery is very good in trying to bring the same children in each week, so they can build up a rapport with residents.
60th Celebration
Celebrations have been in full swing at Balclutha, as a resident reached her 60th birthday in style. Birthday girl, Sandra, enjoyed a trip to a newly-refurbished restaurant, The Carriages, for a meal accompanied by her friends from the home.
The birthday girl said she is to be spoilt all day and is looking forward to lots of chocolates and birthday cake. Everyone enjoyed the trip and looks forward to a return visit.
Warming Up With Bowls
Residents and staff at Balclutha laced up their trainers and warmed-up for an afternoon of indoor bowls. Residents got into the competitive sport for a traditional games afternoon. Everyone experienced a blast from the past as they took part, thinking up their best tactics to try to win the game.
The game was a great success, with everyone sharing ideas of further fun-filled competitions they could play, from Tetris, darts, snakes & ladders and hangman.
Arts and Crafts Session
Residents have been discovering their creative sides at Balclutha with regular art therapy sessions in the mornings. With small groups and relaxing music, residents are able to switch off and focus on their painting and their finished works are simple yet spectacular, and are giving people a big confidence boost as well!
This week’s session involved making cards and pictures for their loved ones for Valentine's Day and as they sat together creating their masterpieces, conversation soon turned to what the most romantic gesture they had received!
Residents Keep Fit with Active Age
The team at Balclutha are dedicated to providing a varied activity programme for their residents and residents enjoy their bi-weekly keep fit classes with Active Age. The popular and well attended ‘Keep Fit’ class is part of the homes life enrichment programme providing a ‘5 a day’ concept in which residents have a range of activities on offer that meet social, emotional, cognitive, sensory or physical needs as part of a holistic programme of care.
General Manager, Alison Dickson said “Seated exercise is such a great way to improve our Resident’s wellbeing, and it’s even better to see them having such a wonderful time doing it! Our exercise therapy sessions are just one of the variety of regular activities available for Residents to enjoy at Balclutha Court and we welcome members of the community to join us”.
Festive Cheer
Residents of Balclutha Court enjoyed a surprise visit on Christmas morning. Staff at the home invited Father Christmas and his reindeer to bring some festive cheer to the residents and their relatives. Putting on his hat, trimming the beard and blasting loud cries of ‘Ho Ho Ho’, he sat with residents and handed out sweet treats.
Alison Dickson, General Manager said: “We had a fabulous day! Father Christmas gave out presents to all the residents.''
Upcoming events
July
Join us in July and take a peek with whats upcoming in our life enrichment and activities schedule.
