Activities at Tyspane Care Home

An early Victorian etymology for brandy snaps is “brandy-schnaps, from being burnt, not for the real or supposed presence of brandy.” 

However, for Tyspane Care Home Baking Club they symbolise the beginning of Christmas as they are simply delicious, delicate and filled with a whipped cream filling. Yummy!

Mary (Resident) stated, “It was such fun, I enjoyed using the piping bag.”

The Ibo or Igbo people are found in south-eastern Nigeria and have many interesting customs and traditions. With a population of around 40 million throughout Nigeria, they are one of the biggest and most influential tribes. Igbos are well-known for their entrepreneurial endeavours, both within Nigeria and around the world. 

The Igbo language is one of the major languages spoken in Nigeria. It belongs to the Niger-Congo language family and is notable for having a rich and complex linguistic structure. Igbo is a tonal language, meaning that the pitch or tone of a word can change its meaning. This linguistic inheritance is cherished by the Igbo people as it plays a significant role in their cultural identity.

Furthermore, the Igbo community boasts one of the most celebrated literary figures in Africa – Chinua Achebe. Achebe, born in 1930 in present-day Nigeria, is known for his ground breaking novel “Things Fall Apart.” The novel explores the impact of colonialism on African society, specifically focusing on the Igbo community. Achebe’s work not only put the Igbo culture on the global literary map but also shed light on the struggles and resilience of the Igbo people. 

So, today at Tyspane Care Home, residents, families, friends and staff gathered in the activities lounge to meet Augustus Chukwuma (husband to Gladys, Tyspane Care Home, Registered Nurse), Augustus was born in Nigeria to the Igbo tribe. Augustus has a larger-than-life personality, and is immensely interesting and certainly captured everyone’s attention this afternoon as he instantly impressed his audience with his dramatic nature. He told wonderful stories about his tribe as well as his love for his wife and how they met and married. Residents, families, friends and staff asked questions, laughed and sat mesmerised by his social qualities that created a sense of beauty and warmth. 

David J Prior (Resident Ambassador) described the afternoon as magical, he was totally absorbed in the stories.” Augustus, your energy and friendliness is a balm to all who socialise with you. 

At Tyspane Care Home we are lucky to have Aime Bown as our General Manager. Aime is a true leader who succeeds because she cuts through differences of race, sex, age, nationality, and personality and, using stories and celebrating residents, tap into those few needs we all share. She challenges each employee to excel in his or her own way. Aime is able to adapt to change and lead her team through it!

So, to say thank you, residents, families, friends and staff made one of Amie’s wishes come true. She has for a long time longed for a traditional Irish coffee with home-made short bread biscuits.

David J Prior (Resident Ambassador) said, “Aime is a wonderful person, she speaks to residents with sensitivity and understanding, she is a good listener. “ 

Inclusive environments where cultural differences are understood and valued lead to higher morale and mental well-being. 

When residents, families, friends and staff feel respected and appreciated for their unique backgrounds, they are more likely to be engaged and satisfied. Furthermore, diversity is beneficial to everyone in society as it promotes cross-cultural friendship, increases comfort, reduces cultural stereotypes, and impacts positive attitudes towards people living together.

Barchester stated in its National Inclusion Week publications;

“Inclusion is Our Strength -Inclusion is more than a corporate policy, it’s the foundation of the high-quality care and service we deliver every day. We’re very proud of our diversity as a team and focused on continuing to improve the way we welcome and support everyone in our team to ensure they feel valued.”

So, this afternoon residents, staff, families and friends gathered in the activities lounge for a questions and answer session with Senior Nurse, Chenayi Chawanda. Chenayi is best described as self-confident, productive, optimistic, caring, unafraid to stand up for what one believes in, proud and true to herself.

Chenayi captivated her audience with tales of her early childhood, her early career path that allowed her to become a Qualified Nurse, her specialist role in midwifery and the role women play in their communities in Africa. Chenayi described the values, traditions and how the culture in Africa is varied and manifold, consisting of a mixture of countries with various tribes depicting their unique characteristics and traits.

Residents, families, friends and staff hung on to every word as they discovered facts about African folklore, religions, clothes, cuisine, music, languages, marriage and motherhood.

Africa has been described as a continent which is teeming with unique landscapes, ancient history, geographical wonders and active adventures and after listening to Chenayi this is clearly true. A truly inspirational talk.

Thanks, must also be shared with Bridget, Gladys and Fortune who supported the talk by asking the right questions which is always the first step towards finding better answers.

Dame Vera Lynn was Britain’s wartime Forces’ Sweetheart, famed for her morale boosting songs including ‘We’ll Meet Again’ and ‘The White Cliffs of Dover’ that supported and inspired both troops abroad and civilians at home during the Second World War.

The wistful songs Vera Lynn sang resonated emotionally with people who were separated from their loved ones, and the songs’ messages of yearning and optimism, along with Lynn’s down-to-earth style were heard in millions of British homes too, via the wireless.

So, this afternoon, Tyspane Care Home Activities Team welcomed The D-Day Dollies from Mini Concerts to perform a compilation of war time songs for residents, families, friends and, staff. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

David Prior (Resident Ambassador) thanked the ladies from Mini Concerts for a spectacular afternoon and invited them back for Christmas.

Peter Brown (Resident) stated, “I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Doreen Neate (Resident), “I would like to thank everyone who helped organise this wonderful event, it was amazing.”

The gentlemen from Barnstaple Men’s Choir have been visiting Tyspane Care Home for many years to perform to residents, families, friends and staff. The gentlemen sing acapella style which means without instrumental accompaniment, their performance is simply breath taking. 

Tyspane Care Home appreciates that community volunteers are important as they help our residents enjoy different experiences, stay connected to the local community, and support social interactions which are important in preventing loneliness. 

Furthermore, imagine our surprise when the local Braunton TESCO champions turned up and performed with the Choir. It really was an afternoon for the community coming together to support our residents. 

David J Prior (Resident) gave a speech after the last song stating, “Thank you so much for your support and commitment over the years, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Happy retirement and please feel free to visit anytime as a guest or resident!”

We wish them all a happy retirement, they have been amazing community volunteers.