Activities at Ross Court Care Home

Thanks to our wonderful Community Connections, and excellent relationships with our local emergency services. PCSO David Alexander joined us for our monthly resident and relatives meeting to give a talk on Scam Awareness. The talk is always focused on the latest trends scams aimed at the elderly. Having such an informative session is a great way for us to ensure that residents are well looked after as part of Ross Court.

Despite the serious nature of this visit, it is always great to have the company of our local police force in the home. During David's visit , residents did have the chance to ask any questions they might have about the area, but mostly, they were interested in the fascinating stories of recent times in the county.

Residents of Ross Court enjoyed a lovely trip to Newent lake, making the most of the fresh October air and beautiful surroundings.

Getting out into the local community and spending time outdoors is an important part of supporting wellbeing, providing opportunities for gentle activity, fresh air, conversation and a change of scenery.

It was a wonderful morning enjoyed together with plenty of smiles and time to simply relax and take in the views. 

This year, for Emergency Services Day, we spent the afternoon delivering these wonderful hampers across Ross and beyond, to show our gratitude to the wonderful people and teams that we work so closely with. Our Deputy Manager Catherine, and the wider team, work with so many of our local healthcare professionals on such a regular basis, that it felt right to show our gratitude by keeping them fueled up with a Barchester hamper full of indulgent chocolates and treats.

To Ross-On-Wye, and the wider Herefordshire NHS support teams: We thank you for everything you continue to do for us. 

Our New Year's Eve party for residents was a truly special! The home was beautifully prepared for the evening with soft candlelight creating a calm and welcoming atmosphere that made everyone feel relaxed and comfortable from the moment the celebrations began.

Live singers entertained residents with a selection of well-loved songs, encouraging everyone to join in, sing along, or simply enjoy the performances. The music soon led to dancing with residents, staff and visitors sharing joyful moments together on the floor. A delicious selection of cheese and wine was served throughout the evening giving residents the opportunity to savour festive treats while socialising with friends.

As the night continued residents gathered to watch spectacular fireworks on television, showcasing celebrations from different parts of the world. This created a wonderful sense of connection and excitement allowing everyone to welcome the season together while reminiscing and sharing stories.

The party was a beautiful celebration that brought smiles, laughter and a strong sense of togetherness. It offered residents the chance to enjoy familiar traditions, create new memories, and feel truly valued. 

We would like to wish all our residents, their families and friends, as well as our staff a very happy New Year!

What a wonderful afternoon we had at our lovely Tea Dance! Our residents enjoyed a delightful afternoon filled with live music, golden oldies and lots of familiar classics that had the room dancing.

Of course, no tea dance would be complete without a delicious selection of homemade cakes and a lovely cup of tea! There were smiles all around as everyone enjoyed the music, share memories and spent quality time together. It was such a heartwarming afternoon, full of laughter, nostalgia and good company. We can't wait for the next one. 

Residents of Ross Court enjoyed A wonderful morning at Pen Y Bryn Animal Sanctuary, where they got to spend time with some of the beautiful animals that are in the sanctuary's care.

They are typically not open to the public, however in their kindness we we're able to visit to learn more about what they do, and spend time with some of their animals, which is a real credit to the Ross community spirit. 

Not only did residents, get to spend a morning at the Sanctuary, they were able to take in the beautiful surrounding countryside, get in touch with nature, and go somewhere that is typically not accessible to the general public.

Our residents recently enjoyed a wonderfully festive afternoon creating their very own gingerbread house, filling Ross Court with the warm aromas of spice and sweet treats. From carefully assembling the walls to adding colourful icing and decorations some of our ladies residents took great pride in their creations, sharing laughter along the way. One of the ladies said, “It reminds me of baking at Christmas with my children. It brings all those happy times back.”

While assembling the gingerbread house we also had a look at fascinating history of this tradition. Our residents were astounded to learn it dates back to 16th-century Germany. 

At Ross Court, this activity was about far more than baking. It encouraged reminiscence, creativity and social connection, making it a truly heart-warming Christmas experience for everyone involved.

Residents have been getting creative and showing off their artistic talents during some lovely arts and craft sessions. Like this Autumn-inspired morning of Watercolour painting. Regardless if it is their first time painting, or they are keen artists, everyone that got involved thoroughly enjoyed it. 

There was plenty of concentration, creativity and friendly conversation as residents worked on their own masterpieces. Activities like these are a wonderful way to encourage trying something new, keep minds and hands active, and bring everyone together for some quality time. It was lovely to see everyone so engaged and taking pride in their creations. We're already looking forward to our next creative afternoon. 

Every Friday morning, we are fortunate to be joined by Jim from Ross Junior Community Outreach Programme, who leads a popular uplifting exercise session for Residents of Ross Court. Each week we have a different team captain, giving everyone a chance to take a leadership role. The captain helps to co-ordinate the group and is responsible for nominating the player of the day and the trainer of the week.

The sessions are friendly, inclusive and certainly competitive, with plenty of laughs along the way. Residents really look forward to seeing Jim, and getting involved, whether that's taking part, cheering others on, or helping with the weekly roles. 

This activity is also fantastic for morale, mood and overall wellbeing. It supports mobility, balance and confidence, as this is one of the gentler, seated exercise classes at Ross Court. Most importantly, it brings people together and creates a real sense of community.

Ruby is a beautiful 9 year old Red Setter, that visits us on a weekly basis with her Mum Jackie. Ruby has been a part of the Ross Court family for years and visits so often, that she recognises all of her favourite faces around the home. She's loved by so many of us, and we all look forward to seeing her every week. 
Thankyou Ruby! (and Jackie of course). 

We are hosting our Annual Dog Show on Saturday 05/09/2026, and we are sure that Ruby could be in the running for an Award or 2...

Ho! Ho! Ho! 

Last week we were very lucky because a very special person visited our home! On 6th of December Santa Claus himself came to Ross Court to taste some mince pies and meet our lovely residents, staff and some very lucky children! Satna took time to walk around the home and meet all the residents and, like a celebrity he is, he posed for some pictures in our pop-up Grotto and gave out sweets and plenty of hugs! 

Our Admin and Activities teams also didn't disappoint- they all came dressed up as Elves and entertained our residents and visitors with fun games including throw a hoop at reindeer antlers. Some of the children who visited also joined in Christmas colouring and residents complemented their art skills. 

We are hoping Santa will visit us every year, after all you're never too old for some Christmas cheer!