Activities at Tyspane Care Home

It is widely understood and recognised that social connection plays a key role in longevity. At Tyspane Care Home, residents’ access social interaction through a variety of sources, and the resources provided are varied day to day.

Imagine residents, families, friends, community, professionals and staff faces today when the Blues Brothers turned up to perform. The Blues Brothers are a famous American blues and soul revivalist band originating from 1970s Saturday Night Live sketch featuring John Belushi (“Joliet” Jake Blues), and Dan Aykroyd (Elwood Blues).

Our Blues Brothers were from Mini Concerts, the spectacularly talented Nick and Jordan. They were absolutely incredible, their singing was soulful, and their dance moves were energetic.

David Prior (Resident Ambassador) stated,

“That was absolutely fabulous, I wish I could have got up and danced. Thank you so much.”

So, remember variety really is the spice of life. Experiencing different activities, people, and situations makes life more interesting, enjoyable, and less mundane.   

At Tyspane Care Home we believe that social relationships are very important and should not be taken for granted. It is important that we continue to support our residents to build and nurture social relationships throughout life, so as they age, they have enough reserves of these to compensate for relationship loss due to death, frailty, and changing environments. Tyspane Care Home understands that quality of life is important and to create this we need to ask and understand what residents want and why. It is a known fact that residents get more diverse as they get older and wants to be involved in decisions about their lives, no matter how old they are.

Supporting residents’ growth is one-way Tyspane Care Home support residents to stay independent which empower them to partake in activities they enjoy. Independence isn’t only about performing tasks solo; it’s about having autonomy and command over one’s life.

With these thoughts in our mind, today, at Tyspane Care Home we celebrated Jill Nutbeem for her continued academic growth, Jill is an accomplished author, and has published several books throughout her professional career. Her new book is called “Enchantment,” and is a beautiful story about lost years, love and making new memories.

Congratulations Jill on the publication of “Enchanted.”    

On the night of the 31st December and the morning of the 1st January, people in many countries all over the world will celebrate the beginning of a new year. However, at Tyspane Care Home, we believe that every day is a special day; at Tyspane we celebrate life through everything we do.

However, life is about more than just the care needed, so our teams are trained and committed to enriching the lives of all of our residents, through stimulating the mind, the body and the soul. Every resident is unique. From spending time and learning about each and every one, we can support positive well-being through a wide range and choice of events, outings, connections in the community and tailored activities. No two days are ever the same.

This year, 2025, has been no exception, activities and events have been completely fun-packed, person-centred, unique, not forgetting several Make A Wish Come true, have helped families, friends, community, professionals, and staff come together to support loved ones.

David Prior (Resident Ambassador) stated, “2025 has been incredible. It's been a happy and fun year, everyone is joyful. Thank you Aime.”

Here's to the year that lies ahead. Let's face it with laughter instead. With humour as our guiding light, we'll tackle each day with all our might! (Catherine Pulsifer).   

It’s Christmas…. Nothing captures Britain’s love of festive fun and flamboyance quite like a pantomime.

Christmas pantos are special because they are the quintessential part of British Christmas culture, offering a blend of festive cheer, audience participation, and entertainment that transcends the ordinary.

And ordinary is something the staff at Tyspane Care Home are not, so with the help of Shelly and Karen (Barchester Operational Trainers), Jaye, Julie, Claire, Jackie, Helen, George and Katie magically transformed into the characters from Snow White, The Evil Queen, Prince Donald, Flap the Lima, Flop the Monkey, Snow White, Sailor Bill and Sailor Ted.

The activities lounge was packed with residents, families, friends, caregivers, staff and community for a simple magical performance.   

Christmas traditions not only bring families closer together across generations, but they also help us create cherished memories. They provide comfort and a sense of continuity, guiding us to focus on what truly matters. From the iconic customs like the Christmas tree and mince pies to the jolly Christmas cards and the exciting crackers, we explore the origins of these cherished traditions and celebrate the unique spirit of a British Christmas.

Today, residents from Tyspane Care Home visited St John’s Garden Centre for a morning of merriment, choosing Christmas plants and decorations, eating mince pies, and buying Christmas gifts for families and friends. There was even time to embrace the wonders of modern technology and make a ZOOM call to a loved one to share these moments of wonder.

A lovely morning was experienced by all. Merry Christmas.    

Every Wednesday, Tyspane Care Home hosts, “The Eleven O’clock Club.” The aim of this club is to support residents living with dementia by creating a supportive and engaging environment. 

This Wednesday, The Eleven O’clock Club had a mindfulness and relaxation class delivered by Tyspane Care Home’s one and only Babs Spear (Head of Physiotherapy). Babs understands that offering mindfulness and relaxation sessions allows residents living with dementia to stay present in the moment, reduce stress, and promote calmness, all of which improve quality of life.

Babs Spear (Head of Physiotherapy) stated, 
“Research suggests that mindfulness can help slow cognitive decline, especially as dementia often affects attention and executive function, making it harder to focus or manage daily tasks.”

Bertha Chukwuma (Dementia Champion) stated, “Another advantage of mindfulness and relaxation for residents living with dementia is that they can improve emotional well-being. Incorporating mindfulness and relaxation into care routines offers a gentle yet powerful way to enhance mental function, reduce distressing symptoms like anxiety or agitation, promote emotional balance, and ultimately improve day-to-day comfort for those living with dementia.”  

Thank you to everyone who made these events so special.  

The 25th January 2026 honours the most prominent poet to have written in the Scots dialect. Whether you choose to call Scotland home, or if you’re celebrating overseas, it is a time to feel connected to Scotland and enjoy its unique creative and innovative spirit. 
Today, at Tyspane Care Home, residents, families, friends, and staff are enjoying the Scottish traditions to honour the renowned poet Robbie Burns with a classic combination of haggis, neeps, tatties, and a warming dram. The morning embraced recitals of Robert Burns’ famous work, and the afternoon was packed with singing and dancing to honour Scotland. 

Helen (Resident) stated, “What a wonderful experience, it is lovely to see us appreciating poetry at its best.”

Pat (Resident) replied, “Yes I agree, I love to celebrate special occasions, however, I am not sure about the haggis.”  

Young adults play a crucial role in supporting elderly residents at Tyspane Care Home. They provide companionship, emotional support, and life enrichment. The more time younger and older residents spend together, the more both parties’ benefit. In fact, research suggests that connecting the young with seniors can help boost confidence, increase communication, and improve memory.

Only this morning, James, a regular visitor at Tyspane Care Home, spent time with residents. James is a collector of vintage vehicles and enjoys bringing them into Tyspane Care Home to show residents. Residents look forward to his visits and offer James their full attention, sharing and transferring new skills and knowledge.

It is important to remember that older generations have accumulated a wealth of knowledge and life experiences that can be passed down to younger generations. Wisdom, skills, and life lessons can be shared through intergenerational relationships, helping younger individuals to gain insights and guidance. Likewise, younger generations can offer new, ‘out of the box’ thinking and problem-solving to their elders. This transfer of knowledge helps bridge the generation gap and fosters personal growth.

Thank you, James, for visiting Tyspane Care Home on this fine and crisp morning.

Tyspane Care Home is lucky to have beautiful gardens, and, as a result, residents spend many hours throughout the year outside; especially in the Community Garden, which was built by our very own Maintenance Team (David, John and Kelvin), and maintained by residents, families, friends and staff. As part of the planning for the Community Garden, one of the important issues raised was to make it wildlife friendly; planting vegetables for the wildlife, a variety of plants and vegetables for the bees, and bird boxes to support bird survival during the winter months.

Aime Bown (General Manager) agrees and stated, “Climate change and renovations to our countryside are some of the most important challenges this generation faces. The creation of the Community Garden supports the local wildlife, which, in turn, benefits everyone.”

To support these views, residents, families, friends, community and staff decided to take action and build bird boxes for the local community, the Community Garden, and their families.

Thank you, David, John and Kelvin for supporting this activity today, it was not only purposeful, it was fun.   

The tradition of figgy pudding is a beloved and enduring part of Christmas celebrations in many countries, particularly in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe. This sweet and savoury dessert has a rich history that spans centuries, and its significance extends beyond its delicious taste to encompass cultural, social, and symbolic meanings.

Not one to shy away from tradition, Tyspane Care Home Baking Club joined forces with Rob (Tyspane Care Home Chef) to create a figgy pudding. The first bite offered a burst of sweetness, primarily derived from the dried fruits, which was followed by a spicy, warm feeling, both comforting, but surprisingly sophisticated.

Maurice (resident) stated, “It is made with love.”

Patricia (resident) replied, “I love Christmas traditions.”   

Person-centred care is essential for residents to live empowered, fulfilling lives. Our teams at Tyspane Care Home treat individuals with dignity and respect, getting to know what’s important to them, supporting them with their lifestyle choices. 
Aime Bown (General Manager) stated,

“Residents’ care plans are continuously reviewed with person-centred care principles in mind to ensure they’re adapted to their changing needs and wishes. Through our Resident of the Day programme, every resident has their care plan reviewed regularly by key team members within the key home, including Head Chef, Heads of Departments and the Maintenance Manager.”

Using “Getting to know me,” profiles help us record each resident’s likes and dislikes and the people, places and things that are important to them. We fill them with hobbies and interests so colleagues can get to know residents better and connect with them on an individual level.     

It's well documented that engaging in the creative arts can be positive for wellbeing and self-expression. In the context of working with elderly residents living with dementia, a small workshop environment can also bring an opportunity for residents to socialise. 
Some of the challenges that older people can face, such as loneliness and dementia, can be relieved through the arts.

In a dementia context, creativity engages the brain and gives people a chance for an identity separate from their diagnosis. Regarding loneliness, an arts workshop is a social event that unites people under a shared interest.

Thank you to everyone who made this happen.   

According to William Wordsworth, “Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion in tranquillity.” William Wordsworth rose to fame in the 18th century for his radical and direct approach to poetry. He cast aside outstanding tropes and wrote poems that reflected everyday speech, becoming one of the first modern poets to connect to readers in their own language.

With thoughts of poetry in our minds, Tyspane Care Home welcomed back emerging poet, writer, and performer, Nathan Rodney-Jones or should we say, “wordsmith,” rather than poet because a wordsmith, according to the dictionary is, “an expert in the use of words,” and Nathan is certainly an expert when it comes to taking the spoken word and creating poetry. Nathan is an expert in finding the beauty in daily events, and using his vintage typewriter he creates personalised poems for his audience.

This afternoon, Nathan spent the afternoon with three residents; Chris, James and Jill talking about life, and loves and creating connections which enabled him to create breath-taking personalised poetry. Together they shared the beauty of poetry through evocative language, connecting the physical and emotional.

Thank You, Nathan for firing our imaginations and expressing our emotions.

Christmas music fills the air every holiday season, setting the perfect mood for joy, laughter, and festive fun. At Tyspane Care Home we understand the importance of swapping ACDC for Mariah Carey, The Beatles for Wham, and Motown for Cliff Richard. There is a very specific set of songs that have become a staple of Christmas tradition, heard everywhere from shops to radios, and even on our very own Resident Ambassadors (David Prior) playlist.

Whether you prefer a modern vibe with Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me,” or the old-school crooning of Nat King Cole, music and singing brings joy at special times, and it certainly did this afternoon as Roger Colome performed for residents, friends, families and community for a special white Christmas. Fingers Crossed, let it snow, let it snow.

Merry Christmas.      

The tradition of turning on Christmas lights is deeply rooted in the belief that they symbolise hope, joy, and warmth during the cold winter season. The custom began long before electric bulbs lit up home and streets. Before electric lights, people used candles to decorate Christmas trees, adding a soft, warm glow to the dark winter nights.

At Tyspane Care Home, turning on the Christmas lights is regarded as the start to festive celebrations, and this afternoon residents, friends, families, community, caregivers and staff joined classically trained professional performer Tamsin Ball to switch on the lights at Tyspane Care Home whilst sharing a glass of homemade warm mulled wine.

Simply magical.