Celebrating life at Barchester

When the temperatures rise, there's no better way to cool down than with a visit from an ice cream van!

Residents, staff, and visitors at Plas Y Dderwen Care Home were delighted when our friend, Sheena Heels, paid us a special visit with her ice cream van. Everyone enjoyed a traditional whippy ice cream, bringing plenty of smiles and helping us all stay cool during the heatwave.

The visit was a wonderful opportunity for everyone across our communities to come together, enjoy a refreshing treat, and make the most of the sunny weather. It was lovely to see so many happy faces as everyone tucked into their ice creams and shared the afternoon together.

A huge thank you to Sheena for taking the time to visit us and making our day that little bit sweeter. We hope to see you again soon!

Residents, relatives, friends and staff at Plas Y Dderwen came together to celebrate Pride with a fun-filled afternoon of karaoke, tea and cake.

The afternoon was filled with music, laughter and plenty of singing, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for everyone to enjoy. It was wonderful to see people coming together, sharing special moments and celebrating the values of inclusion, friendship and community.

Events like these provide opportunities for residents to socialise, make meaningful connections and enjoy time with their loved ones. It was a memorable afternoon that was enjoyed by all, and we would like to thank everyone who joined us to make the celebration so special.

Residents at Plas Y Dderwen Care Home enjoyed a lovely day out to Abergwili Museum, making the most of the beautiful sunshine.

The museum's collections sparked plenty of conversation and fond memories, with many exhibits reminding residents of the area's rich local history. After exploring the museum, everyone enjoyed a delicious picnic prepared by the home's chef in the beautiful gardens, where they spent time relaxing, chatting, and enjoying each other's company.

The outing was a wonderful opportunity to reminisce, socialise, and enjoy the fresh air, creating special memories together.

A time to celebrate the Caribbean culture, people, food and, of course, music for our monthly Armchair Travels session.

Residents enjoyed a fun-packed morning with a Bob Marley word search, remembering celebrities from the past such as Rusty Lee and her infectious laugh, Sir Trevor McDonald the newsreader, Viv Richards, cricketer, and lots of our ladies swooning over the handsome Sidney Poitier.

In the afternoon, we sang along to such classics as Harry Belafonte and the Banana Boat Song, Bob Marley, 3 Little Birds and Red Red Wine while we all feasted on Rum Punch and traditional Caribbean Spiced Bun.

We celebrated all things Alice in Wonderland with a magical themed day. From tea parties fit for the Mad Hatter to card games and delicious treats, the day was full of imagination, colour and fun.

In July we celebrated everyone’s favourite sweet treat…. Chocolate! Residents enjoyed a variety of fruit in our chocolate fountain as well as taking a virtual tour around the seashells factory and learning all about chocolate using our online platform oomph.

With summer in full swing, we couldn't be more excited. To make things even more exciting, we made our own strawberry ice cream and later ran a mobile ice cream parlour for residents indulged in a variety of delicious flavours and toppings, creating their perfect ice cream.

From The Everly Brothers and 70s Disco Hits to Classical Harp and Opera we had the full range today.
Music therapy creates an immersive experience to improve the cognitive, emotional, and physical well-being of people with dementia. It reduces agitation, anxiety, and depression, while boosting mood, memory recall, and social communication through familiar songs, singing, and movement.

We had a visit last month from the Chaplin, Alison from our local Church for a multifaith Church service. Together we sang hymn, shared prayers, quiet moments of reflection and finished with Holy Communion for those who wished to take part.

A regular Church service is important to life in our home because it provides residents with the opportunity to maintain their connection with their faith and beliefs, while also finding comfort, familiarity, and a sense of community.