Activities at Tandridge Heights Care Home
Our qualified and dedicated activities staff plan and implement all activities within the home. We try our best to arrange activities that reflect our residents interests and capabilities as best as possible, and encourage them to participate in any way they can. We also encourage relatives to join with activities and events as often as they can. We try to keep our residents active and happy.
Our activities include trips to garden centres, pubs, the cinema or the local theatre. We have many fun games like carpet bowls, Play Your Cards Right or armchair exercises. There are many musical events, singalongs, garden parties and tea parties for everyone to enjoy as well!
Kelly Sherwin
I started at Tandridge Heights in 2020. Previous to this, I have been working as a carer sine 2010, which has helped me to understand the needs, wants and the individuality of all of our residents.
My main responsibility is provide a varied and engaging activities schedule every day for our residents; this helps to keep them involved in social and uplifting activities. We love to have parties to celebrate birthdays, national days and special occasions.
Read our brochure 'Life-enriching activities' for more information about life in our care homes.
Read our brochure
Activities and Events Partnerships
As part of our bespoke life-enrichment programmes, we host a number of live virtual events in the home on a regular basis through a number of partnerships with places of interest and world class performance companies
Life at Tandridge Heights Care Home
A walk down memory lane with The Rotary Club.
Tandridge Heights recently welcomed Sam and Roger from The Titsey Rotary club who held a talk and demonstration all about the history of Oxted for our residents.
Many of our residents lived in the local community and were able to reminisce over the history, buildings and events they remember throughout their lives here in Oxted, it was so lovely to see lots of old photos and hear all the interesting facts about our town.
Reminiscence activities are so important for everyone, especially those living with Dementia, Reminiscence means sharing life experiences, memories and stories from the past. It aims to evoke memories, stimulate mental activity and improve a person’s wellbeing.
The ability to recall and reflect helps older adults remember who they used to be in order to help them define their identity in the current moment.
Singing and Dancing with Ol' blue eyes.
Tandridge Heights we were lucky enough to have a visit from ‘Ol Blue Eyes’ himself!
The one and only Frank Sinatra, or at least one who looked and sounded like him, serenaded us with a collection of his greatest hits. He danced with our residents, and with one in particular Mena, who loves dancing and is a big fan of Frank Sinatra's music.
Watercolour Painting
Tandridge Heights recently welcomed Amanda Ellis, a local artist that specialises in water colour painting and art therapy. Amanda held a water colour masterclass for some of our creative residents. Our residents were keen to learn and followed along with step by step guidance from Amanda to create their very own masterpieces that they have displayed in their rooms.
John, a resident at Tandridge Heights said ‘I found the class very relaxing and he really enjoyed learning a new skill’.
Art therapy has many benefits for our residents including those living with Dementia.
Making art with other people can help people with memory loss stay connected with the world around them.
Art creates an outlet for self-expression and communication, it helps to reduce anxiety and agitation.
Art helps manage the complex emotions that come with memory loss and can also help create new memories.
We all look forward to welcoming Amanda back and also exploring new and creative ideas.
Open Day
Tandridge Heights first open day of the year was a great success. Residents and staff invited the local community for welcome drinks and an exclusive tour of our beautiful home. Our resident ambassador, Beryl was also on hand to answer any questions and to tell our visitors all about life at Tandridge Heights.
Our amazing kitchen team prepared delicious canapes and mini Victoria sponges which went down a treat.
The activity team held a flower arranging masterclass in the morning followed by live entertainment from singer, Terry James.
Residents, staff and all of our visitors had a really wonderful day.
Baking up a storm
The weather outside may be cold and icy, but inside it is warm and cosy with delicious baking smells tempting us.
Jean was an avid baker before she joined us at Tandridge Heights and it is important to her to keep these skills and passions alive, so how better to do this than making lots of delicious treats for residents and staff.
Jean chose to make biscuits first as they were a firm favourite with her brothers. Jean says – ‘You had to be quick with the biscuits, if you turned around while they were cooling, my brothers would run off with the lot’. We then moved onto cakes and Jean started to reminisce how she would like to look for fresh ingredients to add to her baking. Jean – ‘I would love to go picking fresh blackberries and gooseberries to add’
The residents join in with their memories of how easy it was to get fresh ingredients and how a lot would be grown in their own gardens. There was even a cheeky story or two about how there may have been an apple or two pilfered from the neighbours garden.
We may have made a mess but the company and stories warmed our hearts and the ‘icing on the cake’ was being able to enjoy the end result with a lovely cup of tea.
Knit and Natter Group
Our Knit and Natter group is a very popular weekly group that a lot of our residents and even their guests enjoy. The group is about being social and interactive as well as ensuring residents can still enjoy their favourite hobbies as well as learn new skills.
It has been proven that knitting has many positive benefits including reducing anxiety, boosting confidence, it can help reduce the risk of memory loss and empower residents as well as engaging multiple senses.
At the moment our Knit and Natter group are working on making angels for a local community project.
