Activities at Oak Grange Care Home

We celebrated International Youth Day virtually with English National Ballet’s youth dance company, ENBYouthCo and their Creative Director, Richard Bermange.

We had the opportunity to watch A Comedy in Long-shot, participate in a chair-based creative dance workshop and observe an open rehearsal where Richard and the young dancers created a performance inspired by our childhood memories.

They took part and we didn’t realise Ballet was so meaningful, with all the different movements, and afterwards spoke of this and created their own movements and what it had meant to them.

It was a wonderful experience, enjoyed by all.

We had a lovely time joining V&A Dundee curator, Kirsty Hassard, as she introduced us virtually to the history and design of night clubs and the club culture from the 1960s to present day.

We explored the evolution and development of night clubs around the world, from Italy to America, and closer to home, looked at their importance as cultural venues and designed spaces.

This current exhibition celebrates night clubs at a very important moment, as we all look to a brighter future where everyone can come back together, to dance and to enjoy nights out once again.

We all enjoyed the virtual talk.

Ruby Jones at Oak Grange Care Home in Mollington, Chester has been crowned Carer of The Year for North Division in the Barchester Care Awards 2021 and is through to the national round of judging.

The Barchester Care Awards celebrate the staff who go the extra mile for the benefit of the 12,000 residents living in Barchester’s 248 care homes and private hospitals across the country. Categories range from ‘Registered Nurse of the Year’ and ‘Carer of the Year’ to ‘Dementia Care Champion’ and ‘Activities Coordinator of the Year’.

More than 2,900 nominations were received from homes and hospitals across the UK. All entries were a very high standard and Ruby Jones is over the moon to have been named the winner for the beating hundreds of other nominees.

Ruby Jones said: “I can’t believe it and thank you so much. I am so proud to represent Oak Grange”.

Since the restrictions are lifted, we are now able to host the visits od The Therapy Dog Nationwide.

Extensive research has shown that the presence of a dog can have a positive impact on physiology and psychology and so help to reduce stress levels. By stroking a pet residents at Oak Grange has been smiling, and enjoying themselves around Ruby.

Ruby’s handler Karen said that they have missed their visits so much over the past 18 months and how nice it is for the both of them being able to see those smiling faces and bright eyes when they realised are having a special furry visit.

Residents and staff at celebrated Nelson Mandela Day on 18 July in honour of the great man’s birthday.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Mvezo, South Africa on 18 July 1918.  An anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader and philanthropist, Mandela was South Africa’s first democratically elected African president and served his country from 1994-99.  He was renowned around the world for his commitment to peace, negotiation and reconciliation.  Also known as Madiba, he passed away on 5 December 2013 with many accolades to his name including the Nobel Peace Prize.

Residents spent the day reading excerpts from Mandela’s famous book ‘A Long Walk to Freedom’ and watching films about his life.  They reminisced about how much has changed during their lifetime in the battle against discrimination and talked about the impact Mandela had around the world and we also had a tribute concert in which everyone celebrated Nelson Mandela life.

It wouldn’t be too outlandish to say that the National Day of the Cowboy movement got its real start when ranchers and cowhands first started working herds in the American West before all 50 states were even formed. Roping and riding, herding cattle on horseback, living by the lariat on your saddle horn, and camping under a big, starry American sky — these things were integral to the American cowboy experience. For a long while, other countries’ perception of what Americans were like was exemplified by the ‘Marlboro Man’ image — a stoic, soft-spoken, self-reliant master of herd beasts and the wilderness.

Oak Grange decided to celebrate this day in their own style and Staff got dressed on their western clothes and throw a western party with the presence of Flossy the Pony and an amazing singer who interpret a lot of western songs.