Activities at Hunters Care Home

The residents at Hunters get a real thrill when they are visited in their rooms by our mobile sensory garden. The garden contains different smells, colours and textures to provide stimulation for all, with herbs, lavender and mint.  

The garden works particularly well on a wet day when the residents are less likely to go outside, and especially for the residents who are nursed in bed, bringing nature and stimulation to them regardless of mobility and care needs.

This week at Hunters, the residents observed Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day by making a poppy display in reception during an arts and crafts session.

Poppies were on sale to staff and residents at reception to raise funds for the British Legion and, as always, the two minute silence was observed with the utmost respect.

Residents are overjoyed at Hunters because of our designated visiting room for residents to continue to spend time with their loved ones for the autumn and winter seasons, in addition to the outdoor visiting that has been on offer for those able for many months.

There has been much careful planning and preparation for this moment. It was welcome news for residents and family and friends as we enter the colder season, meaning catch-ups can continue to take place, instead of, or in addition to, outdoor visiting already offered for those able.

The designated visiting room has been designed with both comfort and safety in mind, and has been recently adapted from a room that is accessible internally by residents and externally by visitors. The room is similar to a living room, with comfortable furnishings and heated floors to create a welcoming and warm environment for residents to continue to spend time with their loved ones in the upcoming months. The room has an intercom system fitted so residents can clearly communicate and engage in conversation whilst being able to see their friends and family through a Perspex glass divider fitted for safety to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Infection control protocols and safe social distancing are in place for every visit, including a hand sanitizer station before entry. Cleaning at Hunters will take place after each visit to ensure chairs, seats, hard surfaces including windowsills, and the Perspex glass divider are wiped down appropriately.

The feedback from families to date has meant that the majority of people would accept unusual arrangements if it meant being able to see their loved ones while also keeping themselves safe, as a temporary measure. Barchester Healthcare hope to

At Hunters, we have recently invested in a major upgrade to our car parking and access to the home. For many years the drive way and car park were traditional gravel, but time had taken its toll, and it was time to move on and upgrade to a tarmac finish, which is more accessible and easier to use for the residents.

The work was a major investment in the home and has been done in several stages. The great thing is that more areas of the garden are accessible to residents of all abilities and levels of mobility. Staff can push residents in wheel chairs in areas of the garden that they have not been able to visit before. We are planning to turn one pathway into a sensory and sculpture trail to really engage residents and provide stimulation, especially for those living with dementia.

Many residents love being outside enjoying the sun and seeing the lovely grounds. While walking round, the residents talked about their gardens or allotments they used to have. They talked about all their favourite flowers and vegetables they grew, including some we have in the gardens, such as Dahlias, sweet peas and violas.

The staff team at Hunters recently took up the challenge to lose a bit of lockdown weight and raise some money for charity at the same time.

The objective was to lose half a stone in a month whilst raising funds for the Alzheimer's Society. The event was a real boost for staff morale, with everyone encouraging each other, and the end result was that £260 had been raised for a very worthy cause.