Activities at South Chowdene Care Home

Residents from South Chowdene showed their support to the hard working cyclists by lining the route and cheering them on through our home town. Staff and families took residents to join in the community atmosphere and excitement.

They enjoyed seeing the team cars coming through and escort motorcycles had the crowds well warmed up by the time the cyclists flashed through on their way to Kendal.

The residents then nipped back down the bank to South Chowdene to watch the rest of the stage on TV, which brought back many memories from residents' travel adventures. 

Over the last month, South Chowdene Care Home has linked up with the Pride Media Centre in Newcastle to promote LGBT+ rights and acceptance within the care industry. Katie Searle, General Manager and Joanne Fleming, Registered Nurse, attended a sponsorship launch at the Media Centre.

The purpose on the visit was to find out more about the centre, the support that they offer and to form a collaboration in order to support LGBT members and residents, to make them feel valued and socially accepted. 

Staff attended a talk and discussions around barriers faced by LGBT+ community and the fears, which could arise when moving into a care setting with a mark from the Pride Media Centre.

Residents made a rainbow banner and rainbow decorations in craft sessions promoting the discussion around the shift in attitudes over the years towards this subject.

On the Pride weekend, residents made rainbow cakes, which went down very well with visitors, residents and staff alike.

Well done to Jane Millar, who was named as a Divisional Winner in the 'Volunteer of the Year' category for the 2019 Barchester Care Awards.

In the days running up to Sandwich Week, residents were asked about their favourite sandwiches and what memories they brought up, and in some cases, why those sandwiches were consumed regularly in their family.

The favourites were: egg & tomato, ham & egg, pork & pease pudding and corned beef & onion. These featured on the supper trolley individually from Monday to Thurday, each with an accompanying poster that listed who had voted for that particular filling. This in turn promoted further discussion; who knew that a sandwich could fuel such deep conversation and interest?

6 – 12th May was National Nurses Week, and the residents at South Chowdene decided to celebrate this by decorating the home with thank you messages to our nurses and by making them a card each, a certificate and some coconut ice. Each nurse received their pack of goodies when they were on shift.

Over the last few months, South Chowdene has had a fair bit of involvement with groups in the local community. Over Easter, we donated eggs to the Low Fell Scooter Club, who took them to children in hospital and homes as part of their annual Easter egg run.

We have been very lucky to have 2 Duke of Edinburgh candidates working with us as part of their community service module. They helped all but raise the roof during a singalong, encouraged ‘green fingers’ at the start of sunflower planting, decorated the home and manned the residents’ stall at the Spring Fair, and finally they helped out with a great game of bingo – thank you very much to Saskia and Michelle; we hope you achieve your award soon.

The ‘Minnie Vinnies’ from St Peter’s Primary School have made and donated ‘emergency admission bags’ for residents coming to us from the hospital with short notice. They have thought very carefully about what needs to go in and we’re sure they will be very comforting to anyone arriving. We look forward to working with ‘Minnie Vinnies’ in the future. Thank You!