Activities at Washington Grange Care Home

Staff and residents at Washington Grange brought in the Year of the Ox with a day of celebrations and activities.

Inspired by Chinese culture and traditions, lucky red envelopes were exchanged and the home was decorated with hanging red lanterns and hand-made paper dragons. Residents learnt all about the traditions and superstitions of Chinese New Year.  The hospitality team cooked up an oriental feast for lunch and residents enjoyed the delicious food washed down with pots of Chinese tea.

Washington Grange care home, was filled with flowers, cards and sweets in celebration of St Valentine’s Day.  

Staff and residents celebrated the day of love by creating heart-shaped decorations to decorate the home, delicious heart shaped shortbread biscuit and gifting each other home-made sweets, cakes and treats.  

General Manager, Paula Joicey said: “It’s been a very different Valentine’s Day but we’ve all had a lovely day nonetheless. Lots of our residents were able to see their loved ones either using our visiting suite or on a video call. We’ve had a whole range of treats and Valentine’s themed fun and we have enjoyed every moment of it!”

Washington Grange Care Home in Washington has recently brought a bit of magic to residents by providing a new ‘Magic Table 360 and the Happiness Programme’ as a way to improve residents’ quality of life.

Designed and manufactured in the UK, the Magic Table 360 uses interactive games to connect residents with staff and with each other, and research shows it improves the wellbeing of people living with dementia. Using interactive light projections, the Magic Table 360, which can be played independently or in a group, stimulates movement by inviting participants to take part in all sorts of different fun activities such as popping bubbles, playing the piano, colouring in pictures, sweeping leaves or interacting playfully with fish. Games are rich in colour, movement and detail, and allow people of all ages to play in a safe and comfortable environment.

The Magic Table 360 is portable so it can be used wherever residents feel most comfortable, it can be projected onto the floor, ceiling, walls, a whiteboard or even the bed. The Happiness Programme allows for a range of games that change seasonally and have country-specific versions covering 14 different categories, so there will always be something new for residents to try.

Residents are overjoyed at Washington Grange as Barchester Healthcare has implemented a visiting suite for residents to continue to spend time with their loved ones for the autumn and winter seasons in addition to the outdoor visiting that has been on offer for those able for many months.

Balancing resident wellbeing and safety is at the forefront of Barchester Healthcare’s thinking and they understand how important it is for residents and their family and friends to be able to spend time together in the safest way possible.

.The corridors of Washington Grange were brightened up with some colourful & crazy hair styles, as staff sported some weird and wonderful bouffants. This was not only to bring a smile to everyone’s faces as the homes countdowns to the festive period keeping residents socially stimulated and active with their life enrichment programme.

Residents at Washington Grange enjoy a varied life enrichment programme to keep the mind, body and soul active. Each day there are popular group activities bringing everyone together along with individual Resident centred activities.

Residents enjoyed a thrilling afternoon of being the doctor and making cavity sam better or getting the buzzer in popular classic game – Operation!  High on the agenda and lots of fun is their popular game sessions.