Activities at North Park Care Home

Staff and volunteers applauded as eleven year old Isabelle and seven year old Theo Kennedy completed Basic Life Support training. When the two youngsters heard their dad was going into work to do his mandatory training they both asked if they could join in.    

Lisa Frame, General Manager was only too happy to allow them to join in stating “I believe that everyone should have a basic understanding of first aid, no matter how young or old, we have had youngsters and residents alike join us on our training courses and they have come away with more knowledge, understanding and confidence.”

Barchester care homes and hospitals nationwide linked together for a fantastic quiz in celebration of Barchester’s 100th live virtual event.

Residents engaged in a variety of questions ranging from historical trivia to visual puzzles and brainteasers.

Everyone who joined had a fantastic time and enjoyed some friendly competition.

Residents at North Park enjoy a diverse life enrichment programme and we can never count on the weather in Darlington. However, when the sun shines everyone likes to go out into our garden and soak up the sun and enjoy being out in the fresh air without a care in the world.

This does not mean we abandon our other activities, we just move them outside and facilitate for those wishing to be active.  We find this gives residents another perspective on life and new ideas emerge. From the arts and crafts outdoors residents have formed a plan for a ‘pool’ in the garden using pebbles and paint! We will keep you updated on how we get along.

At North Park we encourage our residents to keep in touch with family, friends and community. Our residents look forward to the annual GOLD (Growing Older Living in Darlington) tea dance in the market square. Many of our residents have enjoyed this event over the years, some were volunteers and organisers.

Residents enjoy catching up with ‘old’ friends, chatting to the Mayor and having a tipple along with the fantastic entertainment provided. As resident Michael said “ I love this event, I always have fun and laughter is food for the soul”.

At North Park we strive to keep our residents connected with their community contacts, interests and friends. One of our residents’ past employment was as a Home Economic teacher, she transferred these skills to helping at the Oriental museum in Durham where her needlework skills were put to good use whenever any tapestries etc. required repairing.

Bobbie was ‘over the moon’ when we took a trip to the museum where she recalled many happy memories with other volunteers and the camaraderie that existed amongst them whilst undertaking such delicate work. Bobbie said “it has been such a lovely day full of memories, fun, laughter and learning”.

Staff and residents are celebrating because their wonderful Managing Director, Fiona Fagan, from Barchester’s North East and Scotland Division, has stepped completely out of her comfort zone to compete in the Barchester Charitable Foundation Cook Off 2024.

Fiona went head-to-head with the Managing Directors from Barchester’s four other divisions and cooked up a storm to raise a phenomenal £24,595 for Barchester’s Charitable Foundation which helps connect vulnerable people and those living with a disability to community groups in their local area by providing grants to improve mobility and quality of life.  Each year the Foundation distributes thousands of pounds to individuals, small community groups and charities across England, Scotland and Wales.