Activities at Thistle Hill Care Home

Thistle Hill was transformed into a 50s diner to mark Buddy Holly Day.  Charles Hardin Holley, or Buddy Holly as he was better known, died tragically in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, aged just 22 along with fellow musicians, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson.  He was a pioneering singer-songwriter, hailed as one of the greats of 1950’s American rock & roll, despite his short career.

General Manager, Mandy Scott, said: “Lots of our residents are big Buddy Holly fans and still love his music.  We’ve had a fantastic day listening to all his hits, finding out about his life in 50s America and what influenced him. We watched a documentary about his life, he was such an incredible talent.  To celebrate we had a singer, David Gloan accompanied by keyboard.  It is amazing how many songs he recorded.  We all surprised ourselves by how many we remembered!”
 

Staff and residents have been marking Time to Talk Day by holding small conversations about a big issue - mental health.  Time to Talk Day took place on Thursday 6th February.  The idea behind the day is that the more conversations we have, the more barriers we can break down, helping to end the feeling of isolation and loneliness that too many people with mental health problems experience.

The staff and residents got into the spirit of the day by discussing their own mental health and how they have been affected by the challenging times we have all faced.  Mental health issues affect one in four people so it is important to open up about how you are feeling and share your problems and anxieties.
 

We recently visited Harrogate Homeless Project to present them with boxes of donated food. Harrogate Homeless Project is a local charity that provides a safe place to stay, and practical support, for those people experiencing homelessness.  They have a range of facilities to assist those in need to access other services. 

Our wonderful resident Les accompanied Darren to visit their premises and drop off the food. Thank you to all the staff and visitors who have donated food items so far.

After almost 30 years of continuous service at Thistle Hill, a much-loved nurse, Pam Lee has decided to retire.  Staff and residents at the home sent Pam off in style with wine, flowers, plants and other gifts to thank her for her many years of dedication, and there was a huge party with lots of singing and dancing. Everyone at the home has very fond memories of Pam, and she will be sadly missed.

During her time at Thistle Hill Care Centre, Pam worked tirelessly to help the residents and other staff members.  She always went above and beyond in her role.  
 

Staff and residents were treated to a virtual tour of J and J Alpacas, a family-run alpaca farm in Dry Doddington, Newark.

Residents joined Farm Manager, Jess, live from Newark to get an inside look into the daily care for the 134 alpacas that live on the farm and meet some of the fantastic characters that make up the herd. Residents learned how the alpaca farm was first set up in 2005 with just four alpacas but how addictive keeping alpacas is, and how the herd has grown and gone from strength to strength over the last 20 years.
 

Thistle Hill was full of animal mischief on Monday when the animals from Diggi’s Den came to visit the home. Residents at Thistle Hill were pleasantly surprised to see animals such as rabbits and Guinea pigs roaming around their lounges as Diggi’s Den paid a visit.

General Manager Mandy Scott said: “Our residents have really enjoyed their furry visitors today.  We knew that having the animals here would be a bit of fun for all our residents, especially as some find it difficult to go on many outings in our minibus.  We are always looking for new activities for the residents and today we have seen the seen the enjoyment and the therapeutic influence animals can have on people.”