Activities at Upton Bay Care Home
Activities are an integral part of life at our care home. We want to ensure that the people we support have as much fun as possible during their time with us, so it’s important that our activities programme is created with the interests of residents in mind. Our skilled Activities Coordinators bring a certain uniqueness to the home that can’t be found anywhere else, and which is reflected in the activities they organise.
Karen Grant
I first worked in the care sector in 2010, starting in domiciliary care and progressing to Care Coordinator. I have since gained a wealth of experience in dedicated dementia and residential activities, working as a peripatetic activities coordinator in 16 out of 20 homes within a group, and then in 2018, I was part of a team that commissioned a new luxury care home, where I was an Activities Team Leader.
I enjoy making wishes come true for residents: in February 2015, I organised my first wedding in a care home. The lady resident who was living with dementia was unable to travel to Hertfordshire for her granddaughters wedding, so I brought the wedding to her. I organised a wedding blessing at the home; we had a vicar, a choir, all of the bridal party, the flowers, a buffet, a wedding cake, champagne—the full works.
In 2017, I organised a smaller wedding in the garden, and this was a special wish for a gentleman resident to see his granddaughter married. Organising these special moments gives me a lot of pleasure, knowing I have made them feel special and to give families that happiness and see them smile.
I cannot wait to welcome our residents into their wonderful new home and help to bring smiles, joy and laughter to each day.
Karen is also one of our dementia champions
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 Upton Bay Care Home
Easter Celebrations at Upton Bay
Topping off our Easter Bank Holiday Weekend at Upton Bay, we enjoyed gathering together to indulge in our Chef's delicious Easter Celebration Cake before showcasing our handicrafts for the Easter Hat Parade, a tradition that began in New York in the 1870s as a fashion event in which attendees would flaunt their finest clothing and, particularly, flamboyant hats.
We ended Easter Monday with an evening piano concert thanks to the talented Simon Woodley, all feeling rather fatigued from a weekend of Egg hunts, egg and spoon races and parading!
Top 20 Care Home 2023 Award!
We are happy to announce that we have won a carehome.co.uk award and have been prized for one of the Top 20 Care Homes in our region for 2022. The awards highlight the most recommended care homes in each region of the UK and the recognition is based on published reviews from residents and their families and friends, as of February 2023.
Mother's Day at Upton Bay
Yesterday, we celebrated all of the wonderful women in our lives, coming together over a delicious cream tea to share in love and laughter on this special day.
We welcomed as many as 4 generations to our home, with families exchanging cards, flowers and gifts as a token of their appreciation for the influential ladies in their lives.
And to ensure no one ended the day empty handed, guests each had a go at posy making with beautiful fresh flowers, to gift to their nearest and dearest.
It was a lovely opportunity to connect with our community, say 'thank you to our beloved Mums, and even we had a helping hand from the children to start on our Easter decorations!
Thank you to all who joined us this Mothering Sunday.
Getting Silly for Comic Relief!
Since Comic Relief began it has funded over 60 dementia related projects to a total of £4.5m. This week, during Dementia Awareness Week, Comic Relief announced that it will invest almost £1.1 million to continue the successful Dementia Engagement and Empowerment (DEEP) UK project.
And how did we celebrate at Upton Bay? With an array of silly red noses of course! Even our lovely volunteer Anne got everybody up and dancing during our charity tea party!
And this year, Comic Relief fell on the same day as St Patrick's Day, so we were sporting some rather quirky green and red looks!
Spring has sprung at Upton Bay!
With the dawn of March greeting us, we have been donning our gloves, digging out the trowels, and dusting off the plant pots ready for some new floral arrivals!
Nestled in the Activity Hub on Memory Lane, residents have been excitedly potting up the most beautiful blooms, including hyacinths, tulips, daffodils.
Stimulating the senses through touch, smell, and admiring the vibrant colours was certainly therapeutic, so much so our wonderful volunteers, Lucy, Jemima, and Anne stopped by to enjoy the afternoon with us! Thank you ladies for your fabulous helping hands!
Having a Hoot with the Owls!
We had the pleasure of welcoming some feathered friends to Upton Bay last week...
But 'WHO' you ask?
Four stunning Owls thanks to Sharandy's Birds of Prey! Falconer's Sharon and Matt shared with us, some of their most loved Birds of Prey, including a Small Owl, Tawny Owl, Barn Owl and the handsomely huge Barney, the Eagle Owl.
Residents fell in love with their big bright eyes, and even plucked up the courage to hold the amazing animals in their hands!
In awe of their docile nature and display of flying skills across the room, it was a once in a lifetime experience for many of our ladies and gents.
Thank you Sharandy's Birds of Prey! It was a 'Hoot'!
Upcoming events
Knit and Knatter - weekly group
Open to the community. This fun, social group meet every Thursday 10.30-12.00 to knit and chat. Refreshments included
Christmas Fair - Saturday 7th December
Join us for a fun, Christmas event with a variety of stalls including candles, cards, gifts for all your family and friends. Join santa in his grotto
