Activities at Kirkburn Court Care Home
Here at Kirkburn Court, we aim to facilitate a personalised programme of meaningful activities, which are designed to promote independence, social stimulation and cognitive function. We strive to create a comfortable and safe environment where fun, creativity and individuality are encouraged. We feel it is important for us and residents to place value on yesterday, today and tomorrow – which is why we invest heavily in getting to know residents and learning their life history.
Our inclusive, yet respectful ethos is reflected in the wide range of activities we offer – ranging from larger structured group activities to one-to-one sessions. Our monthly activity programmes are extremely varied, but some of the activities you may expect to find include concerts, crafts, games, exercise sessions, reminiscing and outings. We also have a strong relationship with the local community and often invite external guests into the home, including performers, schools, and choirs.
Claire Burden
I began my career with Barchester in December 2017. Having worked within the teaching profession for the preceding 8 years, I feel that I bring a range of transferable skills to the activities team.
I strongly believe that the provision of activities is about so much more than just structured, planned events – capturing and celebrating the little moments in daily life, such as enjoying a chat and a cup of tea together, are equally as important.
Activities, no matter how big or small, should be at the heart of every home and that individuality should be celebrated. In addition, I feel that activities should take a person-centred approach, which is why I enjoy spending time with the residents and learning about their preferences and their history.
My own interests include football, politics, crafting and drinking tea, and I enjoy nothing better than engaging with residents on these topics! I aim to bring energy, a friendly smile and a willing ear to the home each day.
Activities and Events Partnerships
As part of our bespoke life-enrichment programmes, we host a number of live virtual events in the home on a regular basis through a number of partnerships with places of interest and world class performance companies
Life at Kirkburn Court Care Home
National Biscuit Day
We are a huge fan of a fine piece here at Kirkburn, so we thought National Biscuit Day would be a good occasion for us to celebrate!
We tried our hand at a wee biscuit challenge – to see if we could identify the UK’s top ten biscuits by taste only. We had great fun sampling a range of biscuits and it turned out to be quite a tough challenge – and a few were surprised to find out that the number one biscuit is a chocolate digestive!
We also had a go at the age old favourite ‘Guess how many in the Jar.’ We really put our biscuit knowledge to the test as we worked our way through some biscuit themed quizzes too. A ‘crunch-tastic’ time was had by all.
Kirkburn Wellbeing Week
To coincide with this year's Grampian Wellbeing Festival during the month of May, Kirkburn Court has recently held its own wellbeing week. We included a range of activities on our schedule - with something for the mind, body and soul! Ranging from exercise classes and therapet visits to brain boosters, dancing and church services.
We have also toured with our very own pamper basket - allowing residents, staff and visitors to select items to help them to relax and unwind. The 'Kirkburn Drummers' had its first practice session - watch out for our first performance coming to a stage near you!
During the whole week, we also took on the big Kirkburn Cycle Challenge - whereby we aimed to 'cycle' from Peterhead to Aberdeen. The whole Kirkburn family joined in as we tallied up our rotations on our pedal machines. We are pleased to report that we smashed our target! It was a great team effort!
World Cocktail Day
During May, we have been celebrating World Cocktail Day by sampling a wee tipple ourselves! We tried our hand at making a few different recipes - but the overall favourite was definitely the 'Kirkburn Kolada!'
We also assigned everyone a cocktail based on their birth month - which lead to some great discussions and reminiscing about our favourite drinks.
A lovely time was had by all.
Tour of the deep
Residents across our services enjoyed a fantastic virtual tour of The Deep, an award-winning aquarium in Hull.
Our residents dived into the underwater world of some fascinating creatures such as sharks, turtles and stingrays.
It was a truly immersive and educational experience that brought the wonders of the ocean right to our screens.
Celebrating Cadbury's
Residents across our services had a wonderful time joining Cadbury for an interactive virtual talk on their fascinating 200-year history.
Residents joining learnt interesting facts about the chocolate giant, shared memories, and reminisced about their favourite sweet treats.
It was a heartwarming experience filled with laughter, nostalgia, and plenty of chocolatey goodness!
The Puppet Gang
We have recently been delighted to welcome back The Puppet Gang for their annual visit.
We enjoyed a great fun filled show with lots of laughs! We got to meet various famous faces - including none other than Elvis Presley! It really was a brilliant afternoon - the resident's faces say it all!
Upcoming events
Community Cafe - Last Tuesday of the month
Do you fancy some company and a good blether? Come and join us at our monthly community cafe.
Carer's Support Group - 4th Wednesday of the month
Hosted by Dementia Advisors from Alzheimer's Scotland, come along for advice, support and guidance on local services. All welcome.
