Activities at Elm Bank Care Home

What an amazing time was had by all here at Elm Bank, to celebrate the 5th of November in style, we hosted our very own fireworks display which was amazing!

Residents, family and staff came together to enjoy a fantastic day of live entertainment, followed by the first fireworks display in the home for some time. The evening was spent enjoying the spectacular display, with delicious hotdogs and Jacket Potato's all washed down with freshly made deluxe hot chocolate topped off with marshmallows, cream and sprinkles. It was an evening full of laughter, enjoyment for all, and as some residents preferred to enjoy the spectacular display from within the home, it was lovely to have all at the windows looking out to the home gardens watching with delight.

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

We always love to have Seam Moses the Banjo Man here at Elm Bank and it made for great entertainment in the afternoon and it certainly was a lovely afternoon of laughter and singing.

Our residents faces told a picture of how much they enjoy listening to the music and clapping along.

The methods and mediums may change but the heart of live music - the communal joy, the shared emotions, the collective energy - remains untouched. As we look to the future, one thing is clear: live music will continue to be a cherished experience at Elm Bank Care home, even as its form and format evolve.

Last week we had fantastic entertainers come in that brought with them lots of smiles and laughter for all to enjoy.

To celebrate World Opera Day, the residents enjoyed some amazing singing and our hospitality team catered with a lovely spread of cheese and wine, it was an afternoon that certainly will not be forgotten.

World Opera Day is celebrated on 25 October, the birthday of Georges Bizet and Johann Strauss II, composers of possibly the world’s most famous opera and operetta. It is a day when opera companies, along with artists, opera lovers and opera professionals may show and celebrate the value of the art form.

One of the cornerstones of our life enrichment program is live musical entertainment. Resident involvement in choosing genres along with feedback after each performance means that we are able to constantly improve our activities calendar.

The residents and staff at Elm Bank were invited for a spectacular afternoon tea hosted by pupils from Stone Lodge Therapeutic School based in Kettering.

The staff and pupils of Stone Lodge Therapeutic School, were tasked with a project to create an afternoon tea for the residents of Elm Bank care home. The pupils attend the home every Friday to participate in intergenerational activities with the residents. The teachers and pupils have built up a good bond over time in learning about the home and its residents, which has benefited both residents and the pupils. This week the pupils created an amazing tea, with freshly made sandwiches and baked cakes as well warm sausage rolls. Residents received beautiful hand crafted invitations, upon arrival they were greeted with a lovely warm welcome from all at the school. The residents learnt how the pupils sourced the china cups and saucers from the local Salvation Army especially for the occasion, and all the delicious sandwiches and freshly baked cakes created by the pupils.

Resident Jill said, “It is lovely, the children worked so hard in cooking and baking everything for us, they have gone to a lot of trouble. I am surprised that all the cups were purchased from the Salvation Army for this today. They really have done well with the project they were set. It was very nice, thank you to all of them.”

Marvellous Bindura, General Manager said, “It is lovely to see our residents enjoying time with younger people, the enrichment it creates in their lives is obvious. It is great to have links with local schools and for them to come in and spend time with our residents is simply wonderful. The pupils of the school worked so hard to create a wonderful afternoon tea for our residents and it was truly appreciated.” 

Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.

Residents at Elm Bank care home, in Kettering recently enjoyed an amazing afternoon with Age UK Northamptonshire. The event welcomed the clients from Age UK Northamptonshire in to the home to make friends.

It was great fun to see the clients from Age UK Northamptonshire coming to participate in a day of activities, residents and staff from Elm Bank were delighted with the visitors and new friendships were created. After a morning of activities and getting to know one another it was time for tea and cake. With more activities following, it was not long before a delicious spread of sandwiches and hot and cold drinks were served. The day ended with the clients from Age UK Northamptonshire enjoying the beautiful home gardens in the late September Sun.

Resident Christine said, “It is lovely to have people here, we all make new friends and that is very important. I have enjoyed the stories from our guests, would be lovely to have them all back again.”

General Manager Marvellous Bindura said: “We have all enjoyed having Age UK Northamptonshire here with us, it means so much to us to be able to keep up the links in the community for all our residents. It is always a pleasure for residents and staff alike to engage with groups outside of the home, it is important to keep these connections and friendships, we are certainly are looking forward to welcoming Age UK Northamptonshire back to our beautiful home .”

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

Residents at Elm Bank care home were pleasantly surprised when a mobile animal petting party came to visit the home which was full of animal mischief.

To see animals such as chickens, guinea pigs, cats, dogs and many more roaming around their beautiful lounge as Michelle’s Animal Petting Party paid a visit. Doris the chicken was very well behaved along with all the animals, residents and staff were immersed in an afternoon of fun. Animals have a huge benefit for all, Simon the cat even paid a special visit to residents in their rooms. 

Resident Norman was very excited and touched by all the animals and it was not long before he was surrounded by them all: “I love all the animals, and this is lovely, I am so happy today, everyone is smiling and it would be great to have all these animals back again to visit.” 

General Manager Marvellous Bindura said: “Our residents have really enjoyed their unusual visitors today.  We knew that having the animal petting party here would be a bit of fun for all our residents and staff, especially as some find it difficult to go on many outings in our minibus.  We are always looking for new activities for the residents and today we have seen the enjoyment and the therapeutic influence animals can have on everyone.”

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