Activities at Hollyfields Care Home

We are so fortunate to have a Tover Magic Table (or Tovertafel) and our residents love the games and sensory activities we can do with it!

People living with dementia still need a large variety of stimulation to make sure their lives are full and enriching. One of the ways we can promote this is by using the Tovertafel. Games include brushing leaves away and splatting bugs (great for dexterity), completing old proverbs and phrases (prompting instinctual memories) and finally we have virtual puppies that react to being stroked, which induces those warm fuzzy feelings, great for boosting wellbeing!

Reminiscence and Life History work plays a huge part of our activities programme to help support each individuals need for mind, body and soul.

Our life enrichment programme ensures residents are encouraged to talk about their own life experiences and helps them to recall memories from their past.

Each new resident that comes to their new home is encouraged to bring familiar items that mean something to them so that staff can sit and engage and increase well-being through reminiscence activity.

Our Move & Groove and Active Games sessions have been going down really well at Hollyfields.

What better than listening to your favourite rock and roll playlists and stretching those muscles through gentle exercise.

Making it fun and interactive doesn't present itself as your classic exercise sessions but believe me they well and truly as one resident said 'busted some moves'

As part of our life enrichment programme, its important to schedule activities that incorporate benefits to the mind, body and soul increasing both physical and mental wellbeing

As part of Barchester’s Life Enrichment Programme, team members and residents at Hollyfields Care Home in Kidderminster enjoyed an exciting virtual talk, generously hosted by Five Sisters Zoo.

The residents had the opportunity to explore and learn more about the animal life at the zoo and the important conservation, rescue and education work carried out at the grounds of the zoo.

Five Sisters Zoo was officially established in 2005 with just a small collection of rabbits, guinea pigs, goats, and pigs. Since then the zoo has grown into an exciting collection of over 160 different animal species from all around the world.

One of the zoo’s many important initiatives is to provide permanent homes for rescued bears, lions and animals that have been part of travelling circuses or other establishments.

Lucy Tomlinson, Resident Experience Manager for Barchester Healthcare, commented: “Our varied life enrichment programme keeps the residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to the residents’ interests and abilities.”

Residents & Relatives Reconnect With Limited Indoor Visiting

For Residents at Hollyfields and Ivy House, the long awaited reunion with two family members has become a reality as two people are now allowed to visit each resident in their bedroom at the same time.

There has been much anticipation of this moment by families and residents alike. Despite the need for testing and social distancing visiting has remained welcome news for so many residents and their families.

Staff were on hand to meet and greet families today with goodie bags containing some essential items including those all important tissues for their emotional reunion with their loved one.

It has been wonderful to see how happy our residents and their relatives have been to once again see each other in person after all this time.

As the week progresses we look forward to welcoming even more relatives to be reunited with their loved ones.

So today we had a great day in the grounds of Hollyfields care home to celebrate St George's Day 2021.

It was an exciting day for everyone to be able to get out in the garden and listen to socially distanced LIVE music from the talented Richard Ryan Its been over a year since we've been allowed to have care home entertainment and today our residents and staff really enjoyed the experience.

To be able to sit and listen to the great music and dance along gave so many of our residents a real connection to the social engagement many have missed during this pandemic.

Its been a day for all to remember and our residents didn't want the entertainment to end, St George himself even popped by to say hello.