Activities at Lanercost House Care Home

A resident was delighted to receive her regular monthly bouquet of colourful blooms from her daughter which she proudly displays in her room.  The beautiful plants fill the room with a wonderful scent.

Residents at Lanercost revelled in all things sweet on World Chocolate Day with a range of chocolatey activities on Tuesday 7th July.   Staff helped Residents make chocolate cakes and everyone voted on their favourite version of the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory - Gene Wilder or Johnny Depp?  The original 1971 version won the vote, which some of the Residents enjoyed watching.

Congratulations to Catalin Radu, who has been named as a Divisional Winner in the 2020 Barchester Care Awards. Catalin is a finalist in the Registered Nurse of the Year category and has been invited to attend a virtual awards ceremony on 8th October, where she will find out if she has won overall.

Residents at Lanercost enjoyed gifts and a fun-filled day of activites in celebration of Father’s Day.

This year, due to the current situation, family and friends joined in the celebrations virtually via video call. Residents weren’t phased by this however, as they have become quite tech savvy at Skype calls, FaceTime, and online events. These platforms are an invaluable way to keep people connected with loved ones and friends, as well as with the local communities, during these unprecedented times.

Anna Paule Operations Manager of the home, said: “We’ve all had a wonderful day today, and involving the families of our residents makes Father’s Day even more special. Using safe and effective communication, like video calling, allows our residents to stay in touch with family and friends. It’s important that we all feel connected right now, and we are continually adapting, and finding new ways to make sure every effort is focused on creating an enjoyable environment for all of our residents, whilst adhering to social distancing advice.”

Residents and staff celebrated the annual Chelsea Flower Show this year by sprucing up the home's extensive grounds, replanting hanging baskets to display around the home and clearing the flower beds and tubs in preparation of re-planting in the summer. The gardening outdoors provided an opportunity to take advantage of the recent glorious weather to enjoy a breath of fresh air. 

Staff and residents at Lanercost showed support of Mental Health Awareness Week, spreading some positivity and joy, as the theme this year was ‘Kindness’. Running from 18th - 24th May, Mental Health Awareness Week encourages us to start conversations around mental health, sharing our experiences and stories, promoting an overall healthier understanding of mental health issues, especially at this uncertain time.

Throughout the week, Lanercost residents and staff supported the initiative by reaching out to the team, sharing support sheets, which were distributed in an effort to encourage conversation. Residents were also touched to receive messages from their local community outside of the home to show acts of kindness.