Activities at Hickathrift House Care Home

Staff at Hickathrift House care home have been hard at work creating memory boxes for residents at the home to enjoy.  This inspirational idea came about because staff were thinking about those residents who are living with dementia and what they might really enjoy, and they came up with this reminiscence idea to mark Dementia Action Week which takes place between the 15th – 21st of May.

Many of the boxes have been donated by staff from various departments as well as our local Shoe Zone located on Wisbech Retail Park. A week before the project Shoe Zone employees have been collecting up shoe boxes to support with the project.

Den's wish was granted by our home's 'Post A Wish' initiative. Den enjoys reminiscing about fishing, his greatest catches and early mornings at Buttonhole Lake, so our team worked on preparing a beautiful fishing trip for him and his friends. Chris, owner of Buttonhole Lake was more than happy to have us and joined us all morning chatting away while fishing by the lake. The gentlemen thoroughly enjoyed sitting in the sun, looking at the catches of the day and reminiscing about life.
Den said, "The trip has taken me back. I helped dig this lake many years ago and fished it many times. I've had some beautiful fish out of it. This has inspired me to dig out my tackle and get fishing again."

To continue Den's passion for fishing we've designed a fishing sensory box and planning on many more fishing trips.

Residents took a wonderful trip in our Coronation-themed minibus to Sandringham. Everyone enjoyed a stroll around the beautiful greenery, a visit to the stunning St. Mary Magdalene Church, and a hot cup of tea in the sunshine while reminiscing about past visits. Den, shared stories of when he worked at Sandringham and Betty about when she visited with her husband as well as many other fond memories. Before heading back we couldn't help ourselves and popped to Hunstanton for some quality fish and chips and of course, a Mr Whippy ice cream while taking in the seaside sights.

Excitement was in the air as we all celebrated the highly anticipated Coronation of King Charles III in style. Hickathrift House was beautifully decorated by residents and the Activities Team with themed flags, banners and 12 handmade fabric buntings by our superb carer, Julie. 

The whole home came together, along with families, friends and local community members to celebrate our new King and talk about the new era the country is entering. KJ & the Catt were our incredible singers for the Grand Royal Party and our talented chef, Kerry, prepared an assortment of delicious treats for our themed dining experience and afternoon tea fit for a King.

Hickathrift House Care Home, in Marshland St James, Wisbech have recently started an intergenerational Toddler Morning for residents and members of the local community on the first and third Saturday of each month, 10:30am until 12:30pm. The residents and staff at Hickathrift House welcome groups of parents and their toddlers who live locally as well as carers with babies to enjoy nursery rhymes, games and activities with residents at the home.

Across our services Residents had a wonderful time participating in an interactive virtual talk with Pippa Catterall, Professor of History and Policy at the University of Westminster, where we delved into the rich history of coronations.

During the talk, we explored fascinating topics such as the coronation chair, the crown, and other significant aspects related to King Charles' upcoming coronation. Our residents were thrilled to have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the memoirs of past coronations from 1937 and 1953, as well as learning about the coronation oath and what to expect from the ceremony, including the music, guests, and pageantry.