Activities at Magnolia Court Care Home

Resident Ron and his wife Eve recently shared with us that their dear friends, Robert and Julie, had an upcoming wedding anniversary and we wanted to help them celebrate in style - With the ultimate fine dining experience and a 3 course meal of their choice all free of charge of course! It was a double celebration as Robert and Julie recently became great grandparents and Robert said this is his chance to "wet the babies head".

Ron and Eve were overjoyed with our gesture and they had a wonderful time with their friends who were incredibly touched with the effort the team had made.     

Residents at Magnolia Court have previously expressed memories of living in North West London at Carnival time and shared fond memories of taste, sound, smell, colours and the vibrant atmosphere the Carnival brought to their lives.

Noting this and not wanting our residents to miss out, we bought the carnival at Magnolia Court, where the whole team pulled together to make sure that these memories would be kept alive. Tasty Jerk Chicken on the BBQ, the fantastic steel band, the ‘Notting Hill angels’, and the amazing Hedy, who danced the whole day through.

Residents at Magnolia Court Care Home have previously expressed memories of living in North West London at carnival time and shared fond memories of taste, sound, smell, colours and the vibrant atmosphere the carnival brought to their lives. Noting this and not wanting our residents to miss out, we bought the carnival to Magnolia Court. The whole team pulled together to make sure that those memories would be kept alive.

Tasty Jerk Chicken on the BBQ, the fantastic steel band, the ‘Notting Hill angels’, and the amazing Hedy, who danced the whole day through.

A truly magical day.

Magnolia Court was full of feathered mischief last month when a parliament of Owls came to visit the home. Our residents were pleasantly surprised to see their new furry friends ‘hooting’ around their home as Colin, Dudley, Roger and Geoff paid a visit.

Senior General Manager Wayne Hughes added some light humour and said: “These fine majestic birds were an Eagle Owl and a White Barn Owl that enjoy coming to visit our residents at Magnolia Court and sharing fun stories and updates with each other. Indeed, our White Barn Owl spent time telling our resident Judy about how the Eagle Owl had recently snuggled a little too close to her in the Barn during one wet and rainy day and she wondered what the intention of the Eagle Owl was. Without hesitation the White Barn Owl put off the amorous intentions of the Eagle Owl but simply stating ‘Too Wet to Woo’.”

Resident Lucilla was especially impressed and excited by the visit from the Owls as they are her favourite animals: She said, “As a child I used to love to hear the calls of the Owls and was blessed to have one in a nearby barn. Today was very enjoyable and it was wonderful that the Owls were free to flutter their feathers amongst us and sit with us”

Following the kind visit from Hendon FC earlier in the month, Magnolia Court Care Home finally had the opportunity to surprise Jack (one of Hendon FC’s longest supports since the 1940’s) with a signed Hendon FC shirt from the club chairman. 

Jack was grinning all over and also took time to read over a programme when Hendon FC played Newcastle United in the 70’s recalling some of the players.

Jack also donned his glasses to read the speech that was left by the club chairman and vowed his next wish would be to attend a game. Well, Magnolia Court can make wishes come true and this is one can be achieved.

We were so honoured to host Jeremy Lawrence, Club Secretary of Hendon FC, at Magnolia Court Care Home today! He gave a fantastic and passionate talk about the history of the club, which was enjoyed by all. A special thank you to Jeremy for bringing some incredible gifts for our resident Jack, an avid Hendon FC supporter: a shirt signed by the club chairman, a program from 1974, and an offer for a day at the club as Hendon FC's guest! 

The program from 1974 is significant because Hendon FC had a notable run in the FA Cup that year, drawing 1-1 with Newcastle United in the third round. This period was also important as it was the last year before the FA removed the distinction between amateur and professional players.

We can't wait to organise the trip to Hendon FC on a match day for Jack. Watch this space! 

Our residents enjoyed a culturally enriching trip to Tate Britain art gallery. Everyone enjoyed admiring the amazing pieces of art and shared a coffee together in the gallery cafe.

Animal Therapy is one of our resident's most treasured activities and is based on the scientific principle that human-animal interactions reduce stress, anxiety, raise oxytocin which helps you feel calm and is a great mood lifter.

We had a visit from 3 delightful Cavapoo puppies who bought adorability and fun to enrich our resident’s lives in the home. They were treated to a display and naughty antics from the furry trio, strutting their stuff up and down the corridors and in and out of the resident’s rooms

Resident Judy who has a wealth of experience with animals was particularly in awe of the playful puppies and stated that she wanted to keep them overnight for snuggles and cuddles.

Everyone was so pleased to welcome back our friends Teddy and Lisa, who had a little break. It was lovely to see Teddy excited to come and see us all again. What an honour for us.

Teddy is not only beautifully natured and simply adorable, but with the science behind it, animals can improve self-esteem and confidence in people with dementia. It can also promote quality of life and encourage independence. If a person with dementia is having trouble communicating with others or having conversations, looking after a pet may help them to stay engaged and involved. We look forward to your next visit, Teddy & Lisa!       

Resident Judy was thrilled when the home told her about a new community gardening club that was starting in the local area, and they made sure she was first on the list.

Judy has always loved gardening and has a true green finger and a wealth of gardening knowledge. Gardening is Judy's therapy, and she feels more connected to the world – which is exactly what the home strives to do. Residents maintaining their connections to the world and their identity is very important to everyone at Magnolia Court and every day the staff are looking for ways to brighten the wonderful resident's lives. It is the little things that mean the most.

Zena from Performing Pets brought Oreo, a beautiful baby goat, to visit our residents. Everyone enjoyed holding and stroking the kid and hoped he would be back very soon!