Activities at Overslade House Care Home

Housekeeping Week is an annual event held every year during the second week in September.  The week is dedicated to recognising the efforts of hard-working housekeeping staff around the world. Residents and staff reminisced about how housekeeping has changed during their lifetime, residents talked about when they first got domestic appliances such as washing machines and vacuum cleaners, and how their lives were changed by advances in technology over the years. Resident Jeanette was keen to help with housekeeping tasks and really enjoys it.

Residents at Overslade House Care Home celebrated the International Day of Charity on September 5th.  Staff and residents enjoyed reminiscing about all of the charities they had supported over the years and the different things they had done to raise funds.  Residents and staff were also invited to bring along any unwanted items to donate to Charity.

Staff and residents spent time watching a documentary on Mother Theresa and discussing the various charities they had been involved with over the years and the work they had done to raise funds for causes close to their hearts.  They also talked about how pioneering Mother Theresa was and how she had inspired them to do more for charity.  Staff and residents chatted about the fund-raising activities they had taken part in, and some staff had worked voluntarily for Charities after they had retired.

Hazel, a resident at the home, commented: “There are so many wonderful charities that do such fantastic work, it was lovely to be able to celebrate all the good things that people do to help others.  I was a Teacher but  I thoroughly enjoyed working in Oxfam in Regent Street,  once I retired.” Martin Higgs one of our Activities Coordinators at Overslade House will be taking part in the Memory Walk for Alzheimers on 9th October to raise funds and awareness for this cause that affects people directly or indirectly.

Staff and residents at Barchester’s Overslade House care home in Rugby, Warwickshire paid their respects to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, on the day of her funeral, 19 September 2022.  The whole home came together to honour and give thanks for the Queen’s long and extraordinary life of service to the British people and the Commonwealth over her 70 year reign, the longest of any British monarch.

Residents and staff watched the televised service that took place at Westminster Abbey on our large projection screen and on televisions all around the home. A national two minutes silence was observed in memory of the late Queen before she was laid to rest in St George’s Chapel in Windsor.  After the ceremony, staff and residents discussed their memories of the Queen and Prince Philip, some of whom served in the Navy or Army and what the royal family has meant to them over the years.  They reminisced about royal tours, the Queen’s many milestones and her constant presence in all her subjects’ lives over the last 70 years.

Residents had a cream tea following the Queen’s Committal Ceremony at Windsor Castle, and we have a book of condolence messages for residents and visitors to sign in our communal coffee area along with photographs of the day and photographs of when the Queen visited Rugby in Warwickshire.

Bob, a resident, said:  “I took my father to Buckingham Palace four times to receive various medals one of which was The George Cross. I remember having to park around the corner to wait for my father I bet I couldn’t do that now”

Carers Week is an annual event to raise awareness of caring, highlighting the challenges carers face, and recognising the contribution they make to our residents, families and communities throughout the UK. The theme for Carers Week this year is ‘Making caring visible, valued and supported’ - to shine a light on all those who work tirelessly behind the scenes to care for vulnerable people in our communities. Staff were treated to Confectionery Hampers and received cards from Residents as a thank you for their care and hard work. 

La Fete de la Musique was first celebrated in France in 1982 when amateur and professional musicians performed on the streets of Paris.  Other countries adopted the same date to celebrate all different types of live music and the European Festival of Music soon became World Music Day as countries around the globe got on board. Residents, Families and Friends at Overslade House care home were entertained in our garden marquee by King and Rackham Duo a violinist and piano player, playing beautiful tunes including Nessum Dorma, A nightingale sang in Berkley Square and Summer time by Gershwin.

Over the bank holiday weekend the home held numerous activities starting with a big screen projection on Wednesday 1ST June, of the Coronation that had been recoloured. https://youtu.be/wKzlKwpm17U . Following this on Thursday 2nd June Residents watched the Trooping of the Colour live from BBC1 also shown on a big screen via projection.  Friday 3rd June, Overslade House held a Garden Party open to friends, family and the local community with a Frank Sinatra Tribute, Morgan Perkins also a member of Leicester Big Band. Saturday 4th June, Overslade House held another Garden Party inviting everybody to bring a Picnic. The Big Lunch was first created in 2009 to encourage communities to get to know each other better and it is an initiative that Overslade House Care Home has taken part in several times before. Residents were entertained by Nick Golden Vintage Singer who also treated us to impressions of Dad’s Army, Flannigan and Allen, Norman Wisdom and George Formby. Sunday 5th June, Residents relaxed and enjoyed the Queens Pageant.