Celebrating life at Barchester

As a wish for our wish tree, Winn chose to attend a live Abba musical show. We were lucky enough to get tickets for the theatre event and Winn was thrilled.

Winn said it was a night to remember as the Abba tribute band sang all the classics, and we were up on our feet dancing for the audience participation.     

We would like to get our Barchester’s getting to know me game out as one of our reminiscence sessions.

It is a useful tool for new residents as a fun way of getting to know them. It is always interesting to learn about residents' pasts and our residents love sharing stories, whether it's about school days, working years and families.   

This game is a way of introducing residents to group activities, and it's always interesting for everyone. 

At Ashlar House, we believe respite care is much more than a temporary stay. It is an opportunity for rest, companionship, social interaction and a refreshing change of environment, while giving families and loved ones the peace of mind to recover, travel or simply take a well-deserved break.

One particular experience recently touched our hearts deeply.

This individual’s care had always been lovingly provided by family members and close friends, some of whom are themselves experienced professionals working within the healthcare sector.

When someone has been cared for exclusively by those closest to them, we understand how difficult it can be to place that trust in others.

However, following Sharon’s visit to the resident’s own home, something truly meaningful was shared with us. It reminded us that sometimes the greatest barrier to accepting support is not a lack of need, but the uncertainty of whether someone else can provide the same level of care, understanding and compassion.

And that is why being given an opportunity matters so much.

At Ashlar House, we are equally equipped with the skills, knowledge, experience and dedication to meet each individual’s care needs. We recognise that families know their loved ones best, and our role is never to replace that special bond, but to complement it with professional, compassionate and person-centred care.

Respite is not about stepping away from responsibility. It is about sharing the responsibility with people you can trust.

For us, this experience was particularly moving because it reinforced something we believe wholeheartedly:

Families deserve a break without guilt. Individuals deserve new experiences without fear. And dedicated care providers deserve the opportunity to demonstrate the difference they can make.

To every family considering respite care, we understand that trust cannot simply be requested; it must be earned through our actions, compassion, consistency and commitment.

Sometimes, one home visit, one conversation and one opportunity can open the door to reassurance, confidence and a positive new chapter.   

Celebrating 20 Years of Dedicated Service! On Friday afternoon, we were delighted to celebrate a very special milestone, as we recognised our wonderful Registered Nurse, Fritzie Salazar, for 20 years of long service, to Cubbington Mill. Fritzie, thank you for your dedication, compassion, kindness and unwavering commitment to our residents over the years, your hard work and the care you provide make such a positive difference to the lives of those around you, and you are truly valued as a member of our care home family.     

20 years is an incredible achievement, and we are so proud to celebrate this special occasion with you! Congratulations, Fritzie, and a huge thank you for everything you do. Here’s to celebrating many more wonderful milestones together!

Our residents at Atfield House really like music, so we arranged another musical afternoon for residents and their visitors to enjoy together. It was a lively and lovely musical performance this time, as Natalia entertained us with a selection of popular songs. She sang beautifully and played along with her accordion. 

Residents, staff members and visitors all felt the vibe and sang along, clapped and got up to dance! What smiles and joy music can bring.      

Staff members at Atfield House came together to celebrate each other and spend a little quality time together. We all brought in some home cooked food to share. There was a plentiful and colourful spread by the time everyone added their dish. It was like a delicious harvest festival. Our general manager took the chance to thank all departments for their hard work throughout the year: a well- deserved thank you was addressed to our chef Robert, who has been with us for over 20 years! hip hip hooray!      

Isaac thanked also our administrator Krisztina and our deputy manager Prachi for their support over the last months. Special thanks went also to Rajitha, for organising this get-together. Everyone received a gift and enjoyed a delicious lunch, topped off by sweet treats and our special Atfield House Cake. 

It was a lovely staff appreciation meeting and of course we expressed also our appreciation for our new general manager, Isaac Soliman.

Residents at Atfield House enjoyed an afternoon of beautiful music, performed by Naomi on her violin. Everyone said how mellow and sweet the tone of her violin was.

She performed popular songs, classical pieces by Mozart and the Meditation by Jules Massenet and finished off with New York! It was a lovely selection and we listened spellbound. Our resident musicians and music lovers all agreed, she nailed it!

Naomi also shared some of her life story and enjoyed chatting with the residents. A truly enjoyable afternoon!  

A Cosy Friday Night to Remember at Our Care Home!

Who says Friday nights have to mean getting dressed up and heading out? Certainly not us! This October, we swapped our glad rags for our comfiest pyjamas as we celebrated our much-loved Annual Pyjama Party! With cushions scattered around, cosy blankets at the ready and the lights turned down low, our home was transformed into the perfect setting for an evening of relaxation, laughter and togetherness.  

Our wonderful residents were joined by their families and staff for a Friday night with a difference. And, of course, no party would be complete without our fabulous, long-standing entertainer, Tracy Lea, who treated everyone to an evening of beautiful, relaxing live music. And the best part? Tracy arrived in her pyjamas too! Now that’s what we call going above and beyond the dress code! Who needs a glamorous stage outfit when you can entertain in your PJs?

To make the evening even sweeter, everyone enjoyed deliciously milky hot chocolate and biscuits. After all, what’s a pyjama party without a little bedtime treat? The evening was filled with smiles, gentle music, warm conversations and those special little moments that mean so much to our residents and their loved ones.

At our care home, we believe that growing older should never mean growing out of having fun! Whether it’s singing along to favourite tunes, sharing a laugh with family or simply enjoying the comfort of good company, it’s these moments that make our home such a special place. And when the evening came to an end, there was one very important bonus…

No one needed to get changed for bed! A huge thank you to Tracy Lea, our wonderful families, residents and staff for making our Annual Pyjama Party another memorable occasion. Because here, we’re not just making memories we’re making every moment matter.

The Cedars Care Home had a very special group of visitors this weekend. The children from Chestnut Squirrel Drey Bourne Scout Group dropped in and delivered an enormous hamper of goodies for the residents. 

Residents Doreen and Jean both said, “what a kind and generous thing to do.” The residents agreed that they could use the gifts when they help host and enjoy the Vintage “Pop-up” Tea Room for our Open Day on the 24th October. All the residents at the Cedars say a hearty thanks to the Chestnut Squirrels and come and see us again soon.