care | activities Creative Caring

As always, carers have been demonstrating their creativity through fun and innovative events for their residents… shortage of bags for patients to carry the syringe drivers, battery powered pumps that deliver medication. Residents have so far knitted a dozen of the colourful bags.

Reindeer ready

When reindeer visited Heathfield Court care home in Erith, team members were determined that 95-year-old resident Elsie would not miss out. They led two reindeer into the lifts and to Elsie’s bedside where she stroked and patted them. Elsie’s daughter, Jill Bickerstaffe, said: “Mum has advanced dementia and her communication is limited, so it was wonderful to see her face light up with sheer delight when she saw the reindeer.”

Feathered friends

Buckland Care’s Blackwater Mill care home on the Isle of Wight has welcomed two new residents. Cockatiels Phillip and Lilibet were donated by Key’s Little Birds. Studies have shown that seeing or hearing birds is associated with an improvement in mental wellbeing that can last up to eight hours. The home was also visited by Peggy the barn owl, after which residents got involved in owlrelated crafts.

Smiles brings together young children, their parents and residents for music, movement, singing and the chance to develop long-lasting friendships. The purpose of the activity is to reduce loneliness, improve wellbeing, tackle ageism and unite local communities.

Trees celebration

Interactive table

Residents at Anchor’s Southampton care home Dawson Lodge kicked off 2023 with a new interactive activity table, with access to puzzles, wordsearches and other games. Interactive tables can reduce boredom and provide stimulation, and are easier to engage with than tablets and phones.

Wedding wisdom

Creative residents at a Dorset dementia care home have celebrated the importance and beauty of trees in a fun, hands-on seasonal nature project. Over two months, tree-lovers who live in Colten Care’s The Aldbury in Poole gathered and prepared fallen leaves as natural decorations to ‘dress’ the cherry, apple, oak and maple trees in the home’s gardens and courtyard.

Knitting together

Residents at Advinia Health Care’s Newcarron Court Care Home in Falkirk have been busy knitting syringe driver bags to help patients receiving palliative care at Beatson Hospital. The club began after activity coordinator Hazel Phillips noticed a Facebook post highlighting a

Residents at Care UK’s Rush Hill Mews care home in Bath have been sharing marriage advice with bride-to-be Sharon Hopson, the home’s head of activities. The initiative was part of Care UK’s national Wisdom Booths scheme, which sees residents share their advice with younger generations. Alongside their advice, residents also shared photos from their own wedding days and reminisced about their favourite memories as a bride.

Songs and smiles

Anya Court in Rugby welcomed a gaggle of young visitors into the home as part of a new weekly music session run by The Together Project. Songs &

Alpaca pals

Residents at a Leamington Spa-based care home had a welcome surprise as two alpacas visited them. Dante and Caya from Alpaca Pals, which offers up close and personal alpaca experiences, visited MHA Homewood. The pair spent some time in the home, which offers personalised residential care for 50 residents.