Activities at Hyacinth House Care Home

At Hyacinth House, we prioritise not only mental stimulation, but also physical activity to promote independence amongst our residents.

Love to Move Dorset is a regular to our home, Katy exercises the body and mind and provides a really interactive session that our residents thoroughly enjoy and look forward too. Activities Co-ordinator Tammy, also encourages a new variety of exercise such as Tai Chi, chair Yoga and other alternatives through our amazing and extensive Oomph subscription, this offers live or recorded virtual classes that can be used as a group session or in the privacy of resident rooms.

In a heart-warming gesture of reminiscence and connection, we recently offered resident Douglas Harvey, affectionately known as Doug, a journey through time with a personalised visit to the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum in New Milton. 

During Doug's recent respite at Hyacinth House, Tammy our Activities Co-ordinator took the time to delve into Doug's past and interests. What she discovered was a lifelong passion for motorbikes, dating back to his youth in 1947 when he purchased his first motorcycle, a 250 BSA Empire Star, for the then considerable sum of £60. At this time he was of similar age to Sammy Miller and would watch him compete.

Tammy learnt that Doug's love for motorbikes wasn't just a hobby; it was a defining part of his life. From his days of off-roading to his time spent as a despatch rider in the army, motorcycles were always at the centre of Doug's world. During his stint in the army, he became a despatch rider and was riding a BSA 500 army bike. This experience left an indelible mark on Doug, and his recent visit to the Museum brought back a flood of memories from those days.

After completing his army duty, Doug continued his passion for motorcycles, exploring the roads with his wife as his loyal pillion rider from the scenic routes of Bulbarrow Hill to the exhilarating grass tracks of Blandford, he also joined the XHG Tiger MCC, a motorcycle club founded on 20th January 1945 for ex-despatch riders. Not one to miss out on the thrill of the Isle of Man TT, Doug attended numerous occasions, watching his other idol, the legend Geoffrey Duke.

For Doug, the trip to Sammy Miller's Motorcycle Museum wasn't just a visit; it was a chance to relive a lifetime of memories, to reconnect with his past, and to share his passion with those around him. He commented on how grateful he was for the visit, expressing the experience made not only his day but his entire stay memorable and special.

At Barchester we believe that every moment is worth cherishing. We want everyone we care for to know how important they are to us. Here at Hyacinth House, we believe in celebrating the lives and passions of our residents. We are grateful to have been a part of his special experience and creating more cherished memories with our residents.

We always relish hosting these events and it was fantastic to see both familiar faces and newcomers today. There's a warm welcome to everyone, in a relaxed and informal atmosphere perfect for making connections.

Thank you to all who attended today, to name a few Be Savvy with Shelley Natural Skin By Lynne Y-Not Finance Helpful Hounds Assistance Dogs Halcyon Care HK Law HeartLed Wellbeing Ltd Wyatt Physiotherapy Comms UK

Our breakfast selection included: Frittata muffins, sausages in home-made bread rolls, croissants filled with smoked salmon or tomato with mozzarella, basil and fresh fruit skewers and more, our Head Chef did us proud! 

These mornings bring a diverse range of local business together to support, share and inspire, it makes for a fantastic start to the day enjoyed by all!

Walking is so important for our residents to maintain their mobility and we're lucky to have wide walkways and cycle paths on our doorstep, it's the perfect way to stay active safely.

A regular walk to the horse field is the favourite, here is David and Doug making new friends, armed with chopped apples and carrots.

We just love these photos and how the horses just know how to be around people and so gentle and somewhat goofy. The moment was captured perfectly!

We had a fantastic Open Day recently, welcoming visitors to experience life at our home, an opportunity to look round and speak to our residents and team.

From mouth-watering samples of food crafted by our talented chefs, an engaging flower arranging session, the wonderful vocal talents of Sally Singer and Musician filled our morning with music, finishing off the day with a competitive game of scrabble or two.

Plus, in celebration of National Tea Day, Tammy, our Activities Co-ordinator treated everyone to a tea-tasting experience with fascinating facts and history on tea. Residents got to sample some unusual blends including a flower bomb, though we did have a giggle at the glass teapot Tammy bought, it was a tad too small for the flower bomb!

We had a wish from one of our residents who recently relocated to this area, to visit The Tank Museum. Ex-military it was very dear to his heart, Conrad was joined by his son-in-law. We had a fantastic day learning about the history of military vehicles and more. It was humbling to hear our amazing residents speak of their personal experiences and share memories. 

After stopping for a delicious picnic prepared by our Chef we were back taking in the sights, before heading back home. 

We wish to thank the team at the tank museum for the warm welcome we received, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit.