Activities at Kernow House Care Home

We have a varied program of activities and one is storytelling. For some people, being able to read a book is difficult so listening to a good story being told is very enjoyable. We had a great afternoon in the company of storytellers Susan Samm and Alan Woolard. 

They took it in turns to tell us fantastic stories and listening and watching was very interesting. One story was about the creation of dragon flies and the following day, we actually had a huge dragonfly inside the home. Maybe it had heard the story too.

We have taken part in Get Barchester Moving, which is a week-long event to promote the Barchester Foundation Charity. The Foundation helps older people and those living with disabilities stay connected to their local communities. 

We started the week with a visit to Made Well CIC, who received a grant from the Foundation to build an outdoor gym. A group of us visited and had fun using the gym equipment. Being able to make community links and working together is great and when you can get fit in the process, it’s even better.

On National Biscuit Day we made some biscuits with the Kernow Kooks. We were just in time for afternoon tea and everyone had a choice between the homemade biscuits and biscuits we had bought, which are all-time favourites for some. Residents have told us that some like to cook and bake, as they have always done, so we sometimes do a little cooking together. 

It is possible to make a biscuit soft by gently pouring dissolved instant food and beverage thickener over the biscuits. That way, people who have a soft or puréed diet can have a biscuit too. 

We have a whole-home approach to making sure life enrichment is the best it can be for people who live at Kernow House. When housekeeper Kerry heard residents talking about missing their pets, she organised a trip to Trethorne Leisure Park for a small group to take part in In Touch With Animals. 

We saw ducks and their ducklings, and we spent an hour sitting quietly with Guinea pigs and rabbits, stroking them, talking gently to them and listening to their contented noises. It was a fantastic experience, very peaceful and therapeutic.

Our VE80 Tea Party was a great success. We had lots of flags, napkins and tablecloths very kindly donated to us by Launceton Town Council. Staff dressed up in red, white and blue and head chef Rachel made scones and chocolate cake for our tea party using original wartime recipes. 

The scones with margarine were very nice, but the chocolate cake with very little sugar was not quite as delicious. Music from the era was provided by a D-Day Dolly, and we joined in singing, dancing and waving our flags. Some residents have memories from the war. 

One, who is 101 years old, has often told visiting school children how important it is to share the food we have, and he enjoyed his afternoon tea. Another resident remembers being bombed out and losing her precious bike although, thankfully, no loss of life on that occasion. 

Some residents and staff took part in Launceston Town Council VE 80 Day Picnic in the Square. 

We had great fun enjoying our picnic, meeting people, singing and dancing to the music provided by Launceton Town Band. Resident ambassador Richard thanked our Town Crier Rob Tremain for a lovely afternoon spent in good company. 

Some residents have never been to a street party before, and they were thrilled to be able to take part in this community event. 

There was a real party atmosphere when The Hurdy Gurdies came to play. There are several musicians amongst the people who live at Kernow House and some have asked for a band to come. We asked The Hurdy Gurdies, and they took up the challenge of performing in a smaller space than their usual gigs. It was fantastic. They played 60’s music and the tunes were very familiar to us. 

There was singing and dancing and as Kernow Keg was there, the drinks were flowing and the spirit was just as it should be, when you go out to a live music gig. Huge thank you to all the staff who joined in the party and made this a fantastic event.

At Kernow House we have been given an exciting opportunity to take part in the ‘Whose Truth Travels’ art project to celebrate Global Intergenerational Week, 24.-30.04.2025. This opportunity came about through working with the Only Connect network.

Shirley Chisholm famously said ‘If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair’. The intention of the project is to get past some of the barriers that frequently divide communities. It seeks to bring diverse groups together to openly share their perceptions of themselves and celebrate each other within local space and environments. We have made our folding chair and have photographed it. The home of this project is New York and the image of our chair will be displayed in a digital flip book along with a 100-word piece that describes our organisation and the values that drive our intergenerational values: 
‘Kernow House is a home for people with Complex Care Needs. We have close links with St Catherine’s Primary School and Nicky Brice Dance School. 

The benefit to residents’ wellbeing from spending time with children cannot be underestimated. It is shown to enhance mood, encourage learning, and can improve movement and dexterity. We share stories, eat ice cream, reminisce with museum items and dance together. A resident said: ‘Our chair is old and has seen life. It has lots of patina and memories. We have added new ones and used natural colours to symbolise youth. The scrolls represent human aspirations.’ 

Elly, from Vocal Footprint, came to sing for us. This time we did karaoke and lots of people joined in with the singing and dancing. 

Kernow Keg was there too, so we could have a little drink and enjoy that Friday feeling. It was party time and good fun. We always try to do something new, and we will do karaoke on our own as it was so enjoyable.