Activities at Westlake House Care Home
Residents enjoy playing hoopla and bocce bowls, which combine exercise with the thrill of competitive sport. We invite entertainers and musicians to visit the home on a regular basis and residents very much enjoy watching them perform.
We also have our pet therapy dog, Marley, visit the home on a fortnightly basis, and residents love petting him. They also enjoy health and fitness days, where they get the opportunity to participate in armchair exercises and target games.
We always celebrate National Volunteer Week, which we use as a chance to say thank you for the wonderful work that our volunteers do that further enhances the quality of life for those who live at Westlake.
As well as continuing with our favourite activities, such as arts & crafts, bingo, knit & natter, Scrabble, board games, bridge, quizzes, pampers & manicures, reminiscence sessions and musical memories, we always like to launch new activities for residents, which give them the opportunity to socialise with their friends and families. These could be our own vegetable patches, flower arranging sessions, a book club or anything else that our imaginations conjure up.
Cameron Harris
I joined the Barchester family in May 2024 and have instantly felt welcome and supported. As an activity coordinator, I am passionate about getting to know our residents and delivering person-centred care and activities to all residents, an approach supported by a holistic, whole-home view. I have a solid theoretical background in supporting older people with their social and wellbeing needs. I graduated with a 2:1 in Psychology BSc in 2022. Since then, I have worked as an activity coordinator and cognitive rehabilitation assistant with older people.
I am studying for a master’s degree in Psychological therapies to help me progress in clinical work. I am committed to continuous professional development and training to improve Westlake's life enrichment aspect..
I feel that the residents at Westlake House benefit most when we work together as a team to ensure that our service is delivered appropriately, successfully, and in line with high standards set by Barchester.
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 Westlake House Care Home
Chinese New Year
Westlake House welcomed the Year of the Dog with a day of celebration and activities, which were a delight for staff, residents, relatives and friends of the home.
Inspired by Chinese culture and traditions, the home was decorated with hanging red lanterns. The Head Chef cooked up an oriental feast and everyone celebrated in style with a special lunch of traditional Chinese food, including spring rolls, sweet and sour chicken and egg fried rice.
Pancake Day
The Head Chef has been flipping and turning pancakes all morning in preparation for the annual Shrove Tuesday pancake race. Westlake House has marked this year’s Pancake Day with lots of pancake decorations and several toppings.
National Nest Box Week
Westlake House is located in a leafy countryside setting and our gardens have several shrubs and flowers which make them more attractive to birds and squirrels that benefit wildlife throughout the year. Both staff and residents at Westlake House replenished the bird feeders and indulged in a spot of bird and squirrel watching in the wooden areas surrounding the home.
Our gardener, William Lawrence, maintains all the plants, including the brambles, hawthorn and honeysuckle, which provide berries, attract insects that birds like to eat, and provide good nesting material.
Bird feeders for any type of birds have been strategically positioned around the garden and several will provide residents with a good view of all the comings and goings when they come to eat the nuts and the seeds.
National Pizza Day
National Pizza Day has been a real treat at Westlake House; we marked the occasion by getting out our aprons and kneading the dough to make pizzas, of course.
The week, organised by the Foodism magazine, is a celebration of all things pizza-related, and is the perfect excuse to get everybody together for a pizza topping party.
Many residents personalised their own pizzas with a selection of healthy, tasty treats that included ham, cheese, mushrooms and mixed peppers.
Open Day
We welcomed the local community on 27th January for an afternoon session of live musical entertainment, teas and freshly made cakes. It was also an opportunity for visitors to meet the whole team and take a look around the home.
All the residents enjoyed live singing and musical entertainment in the main activity lounge. They were later served homemade cakes that were prepared by the home’s Head Chef, Ryan McFee.
Burns Night
We prepared a traditional Burns Night supper to the tune of bagpipes, and capers continued well into the wee small hours!
Staff and residents at the home were involved in a number of activities, such as singing and learning the art of Scottish country music to mark the Scottish institution,
It was great fun for everyone!
