What types of care does Hickathrift House Care Home offer?

Hickathrift House Care Home offers Residential care, Dementia care, Respite / Short stay.

Activities at Hickathrift House Care Home

We have two Activities Coordinators here at Hickathrift House. We have a wide range of activities within the home, including musical entertainment, arts & crafts, clubs for like-minded people, such as flower arranging and gardening, board games, baking (where the best bit is the eating afterwards!), and we celebrate special events throughout the year. We also have trips out on a regular basis using our own minibus, where we find out places of interest each person would like to visit.

It is important to us that each individual who we support can get as much from these activities as possible, so we try our best to arrange activities that reflect their interests and capabilities, and encourage them to participate in any way they can. We also encourage relatives to join in with activities and events as often as they can.

For the less mobile residents, we unique one-to-one session, such as simple chats over a cup of tea, reading or listening to music. Activities are some of the most important aspects of a care home, so it is essential that our team are dedicated to ensuring that residents are entertained, and that life at Hickathrift House is fun and active.

Watch our video on life enrichment in our homes.

Kat Colangelo

Activities Lead

Hello, my name is Kat and I am the Activities Lead here at Hickathrift House.

Since 2017 I have been working in the field of well-being and I am passionate and enthusiastic about enriching all our of residents' quality of life.

As the Activities Lead at Hickathrift House, my focus is learning about each of our resident's likes and dislikes and supporting them to remain receptive and active in addition to supporting them to engage with our local community friends.

I organise activities to stimulate the mind, body and soul in an enjoyable, comfortable way. My aim is to diversify and increase activities ensuring that there is something for everyone - from Wine and Cheese events, excursions on our home Mini Bus as well as individual bespoke person-centered activities.

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 Hickathrift House Care Home

Tiptoe through the Norfolk Tulips

Residents were thrilled to be able to visit the most colourful event of the year, the Norfolk Tulips fields, that raise funds for The Norfolk Hospice Tapping House! The vibrant colours of Norfolk's famous tulip fields were just awe-inspiring and magical.

Residents and staff were laughing as we frolicked through the tulips, shared our favourite types and loved seeing all the children playing. We also are so pleased to have helped raise funds for this meaningful cause.
Resident Rosemary said, "What did I do to deserve this lovely treat to the tulip fields. You're all so kind to have taken us. One of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen. Even with the wind, I've enjoyed every minute".

National Pet Day

To celebrate National Pet Day we had a spectacular visit from Michelle's Animal Therapy & Petting Party! Residents and staff loved meeting all the different, beautiful animals, especially Doris the chicken. Simon the Persian cat and Boots the Ragdoll went to visit residents in their rooms and Kim loved brushing Boots’ soft fur. Joan was extra brave and had a cuddle with Ed the bearded dragon! Brenda adored the beautiful hamster and Elsie gave Diego one last cuddle before they left.

It’s amazing to see the fantastic impact animals can have on us all, particularly those living with Dementia. Everyone enjoyed learning about these fabulous animals, reminiscing about their pets and experiencing a variety of sensory stimulations.

Easter celebrations

We've had a wonderful fun-packed week celebrating Easter at Hickathrift House. From Easter bonnet crafts to welcoming the Pilgrim Cross for coffee morning with handmade hot cross buns and of course our fabulous Easter Bunny Meet and Greet. Our week has included Easter chocolate games, themed picture bingo, a themed namaste sensory trolley, and making an incredible Simnel cake in Baking Club with the help of our amazing Head Chef, Andy.

Joy, a new resident at Hickathrift House said, "I haven't made a Simnel cake in such a long time. I adored the bonnet making with our volunteer Caitlin. What wonderful experiences we’ve had together. It is a traditional Easter celebration".

Toddler Mornings

Hickathrift House Care Home, in Marshland St James, Wisbech have relaunched their monthly Toddler Morning. On Saturday the 20th of April 2024, residents and staff welcomed a group of parents and their toddlers and babies who live locally to enjoy a morning of music, games and activities with residents of Hickathrift House.

The parents and toddlers enjoyed singing along with residents to their favourite songs such as ‘Wind the Bobbin Up’ and ‘The Wheels on the Bus’ whilst tucking into their favourite juices and biscuits provided by the Hickathrift Hospitality Team. Each Toddler Morning will be themed and supported by residents, and this month was St George's Day which included colouring and creating shields.

Come sing!

Residents across our homes and hospitals had a fantastic time with vocal coach Dan Cooper from Biiah as he led an amazing sing-a-long session for residents to enjoy.

Residents who joined the event were able to learn different techniques as they sang the famous ‘I Can See Clearly Now’ by Jimmy Cliff and ‘Here Comes the Sun’ by The Beatles.

Across our homes there were smiles and laugher all around. The session was such a success and was great for the mind, body and soul.

Harrogate Chocolate Factory

We had a brilliant time across our services with Harrogate Skills 4 Living as they took us on a wonderful virtual visit to their Harrogate Chocolate Factory.

Residents were thrilled to discover details about the chocolate-making process and the fascinating journey from bean to bar, all while enjoying some delicious sweet treats.

The Factory aims to employ people with learning disabilities and autism, involving them in all parts of the process, from sorting and roasting the beans to packaging and sales. The experience was truly enjoyed by all who joined this event.