Activities at Newton House Care Home

Residents were thrilled to be able to return to Kesteven Rideability for horse therapy this morning.

We were very lucky to have such lovely weather, albeit a little windy.

It was wonderful to be able to visit after such a long time. Karen & Liz at Rideability we’re incredible hosts as always and we all enjoyed Liz’s delicious homemade biscuits & cakes. Residents loved reuniting with Sasha the dog too

The bus drive home was amazing with everyone feeling overjoyed and discussing how lovely the morning had been.

Kesteven Rideability were established in 1988 and based in the Lincolnshire village of Hough on the Hill. They are an independent charity and member group of the Riding for the Disabled Association offering a range of riding and equine therapy activities for disabled adults and children. In a safe and supportive rural setting they provide an inclusive and exciting outdoor activity and the chance to interact with their beautiful horses and ponies in a positive and beneficial way.
 

What a fun and entertaining afternoon at Newton House with live music and fancy dress.

Residents enjoyed singing and dancing to some of their favourite songs and socialising with their friends from around their home.

It was great to have residents up on their feet dancing and enjoying themselves.

Mrs A would even like to book Dave Cox for a Christmas party, she said “he is just brilliant, I have never seen anyone sing like that before”

A huge thank you to A1 Interiors Grantham for their kind donation of a variety of mixed wines, for our amazing residents to enjoy whilst having a fabulous fun get together.

Newton House received their very own Magic Table last week. They have used it all weekend and the residents have loved it! 

At Barchester, we are always looking for ways to improve our residents' quality of life. This is why we have introduced a Magic Table to many of our care homes - offering opportunities for those living with dementia to increase physical and social interactions and, most of all, have fun. The magic table is a series of interactive light projected games which research has shown are consistently able to have a positive effect on those living with dementia through the early, mid and later stages of the condition through sensory stimulation, relaxation, reminiscence.

Developed in the UK and introduced to our homes in 2021 the Magic Table 360 is very similar to the Tovertafel Magic Table, however, it is small, portable and lightweight and has a full 360 degree projection. The added benefit of a mobile Magic Table means that Barchester’s residents can utilise it anywhere in our homes; lounges, coffee areas, gardens or even bedrooms – the fun will come to them! Also with the Happiness Programme, our residents will have access to many games that will change on a seasonal basis to add extra enjoyment and fresh experiences. The games, which are typically played on tables and floors, respond to the body movements of residents, helping to create intuitive engagement.

Research has shown how effective interactive light can be in care home settings, and how beneficial it can be to residents’ well-being, especially those living with dementia. Some of these benefits include:

Positive effect upon well-being by improving mood, reducing apathy and restlessness, as well as increasing engagement levels especially across the mid-to-late stages of dementia
Improved engagement during family visits
Improved relationships between staff and residents by facilitating playful activities
Increased interaction between residents
Increased physical social and cognitive activity
Increased positive emotion and reduction of withdrawn-like symptoms

Residents were overwhelmed when they received an incredible gift of vouchers from a local gentleman for them to enjoy a lovely meal out at the beautiful Finkins restaurant in town.

Both residents and staff had a wonderful time and said that the food was beautiful, it was so nice being able to visit a restaurant again.

A scenic tour was taken on the way back to Newton House, through Woolsthorpe & Belvoir, taking in some beautiful sights.

Whilst reminiscing on the journey home, 2 residents realised that they attended the same school when they were younger, and although they were in different year groups at school they actually knew the same people.

The amazing Mr P was a fantastic tour guide and road map assistant

What a wonderful day!

Another fantastic afternoon had with the lovely Dani visiting again for our second exercise class this week.

Whenever there is music playing, there is always a dance off involved too... our residents just love to dance

It was a physically fun afternoon, and although the weather is miserable outside we certainly brought the sunshine in ?

Happy National Beer Day... and what glorious weather to celebrate it in!

A lovely trip out to Miller & Carter in the sunshine with a nice cold refreshing beer (& wine) is how we celebrate National Beer Day!

Residents enjoyed reminiscing about the prices of beer in their younger years, a good old chat about football and cricket and also talking about the types of vehicles they used to drive.

Mr H spoke about how he loved driving about in his green mini.

It was a really enjoyable afternoon