Celebrating life at Barchester

This week, residents at Austen House enjoyed a wonderful day filled with simple pleasures and heartfelt memories. What began as a relaxed outing for coffee soon became something truly special, reminding us of the joy that comes from spending time together beyond the walls of the home. The morning started with a cosy stop at a local café, where warm drinks, gentle conversation, and plenty of smiles created a lovely atmosphere. Residents chatted happily over their favourite beverages, enjoying the chance to take in the surroundings and share a peaceful moment together. These small outings always bring a sense of freshness and togetherness, turning ordinary moments into cherished ones.

After coffee, the day took a meaningful and emotional turn. One of our residents expressed a wish to visit the house where she grew up, and we were delighted to make that wish come true. Standing outside the place that held so many of her childhood memories, she began to share stories from her early years. Watching her face light up as she remembered the past was a beautiful reminder of how powerful and comforting those memories can be.

The outing was simple yet deeply moving. It offered relaxation, connection, and a chance to honour personal history. Moments like these show how important it is to support residents in revisiting treasured parts of their lives while also enjoying the companionship and warmth of one another. At Austen House, we cherish these experiences, both joyful and reflective, because they bring meaning to every day and help create a true sense of home.

At Austen House, creating enjoyable dining experiences is an important part of daily life, and this week our residents were treated to a very special afternoon. Our chef hosted a relaxed and inviting food tasting session, giving everyone the chance to sample a variety of new dishes that may soon feature on our menu.
The dining room was filled with wonderful aromas as plates of both savoury and sweet options were brought out for residents to try. Each dish offered something different, from comforting flavours to exciting new tastes, and residents took great pleasure in exploring the selection. 

The atmosphere was calm and cheerful, with plenty of conversation as everyone compared favourites and shared their thoughts. It was lovely to see how engaged residents were throughout the session. Many enjoyed discussing the flavours that reminded them of home, while others were delighted to discover something completely new. The afternoon provided not only delicious food but also a sense of involvement and choice, allowing residents to help shape the meals they will enjoy in the weeks ahead.

The feedback was incredibly valuable, and our chef is already looking forward to adding several of these dishes to the menu. Moments like these highlight the importance of food in bringing people together and creating a warm and welcoming community at Austen House. 

As the festive season begins to make its presence felt, Austen House is already glowing with Christmas spirit. This week, our residents enjoyed a wonderfully creative afternoon as they began crafting their very own Christmas cards. It is a much-loved tradition that brings joy, imagination, and a touch of sparkle to the home. With gentle music playing and plenty of festive cheer in the air, residents gathered around the craft tables, choosing colours, shapes, and designs to make each card truly unique. Some opted for classic winter scenes, while others experimented with bold colours and modern patterns. What shone through most was the thought and care put into every card, each one lovingly created with a special family member or friend in mind.

The activity encouraged residents to express themselves, reminisce about past Christmases, and share stories of the traditions they have enjoyed over the years. Laughter and conversation filled the room as everyone compared designs and admired one another's creativity. The atmosphere was warm, relaxed, and full of festive excitement.

We were delighted to welcome Cheryl and Jonny from Creative Mojo, whose guidance and enthusiasm inspired residents throughout the session. Their support helped bring out the best in everyone, resulting in a beautiful collection of handmade cards that truly capture the spirit of the season. As the tables filled with finished cards, each bright, personal, and heartfelt, it was clear how much pride residents took in their creations. Activities like these remind us of the joy that simple, meaningful moments can bring and how they help make life at Austen House feel especially magical at this time of year.  

We recently celebrated one of our amazing residents, Joan’s 100th birthday at the home! Joan enjoyed a small tea party with close friends with everyone in the home getting involved in helping her celebrate her special day. 

Staff ensured Joan looked fabulous on the day and the chef whipped up a delicious birthday cake and refreshments for everyone to enjoy. Joan received many cards from the local community and was overwhelmed by all the effort everyone had made for her, stating she’d had ‘the best birthday ever!’  

Music is a big part of life here at The Wingfield, and we are proud to offer live music performances at least once a week at home. Music is great at bringing people together, lifting moods and tapping into those core memories. At home, we strive to offer music to suit all tastes, from classical to rock ‘n’ roll! 

Recently, we had the pleasure of hosting a ‘Jazz and Cocktails’ event and welcoming new singer David into the home, who made quite an impression. Drinks were flowing and there was lots of singing and dancing throughout the afternoon.

Therapy dog Fizz continues to visit the home every month and her friendly, gentle demeanour always brings a real sense of calm and joy to the home. Here at the home, lots of our residents have owned dogs at some point in their lives, and it’s always a joy to hear about those fond memories and stories shared.

Animal therapy is proven to be significantly beneficial, not only offering comfort and mood improvement but also contributing to overall physical wellbeing. At the home, we are always overwhelmed by the resident's response we get to animals visiting, which is why we strive to ensure that we are able to offer this regularly.   

We regularly host crafting sessions at the home – often these are themed. Residents have recently enjoyed embracing their creativity through Autumn wreath making and pumpkin flower arranging, bringing lots of warmth and colour into our home as it began getting colder outside. 

These activities are great at bringing people together and either continuing those previous hobbies and interests or for some trying out new things. The items we create in these sessions are then proudly displayed either in residents' rooms or in our communal areas for everyone to enjoy.        

An amazing Day of Remembrance at Mount Tryon. We laid our poppy wreath by our Veteran Homes Manager Ria Willett, our 104-year-old Nigel and a fellow veteran. 

After that, we had a brief ceremony during which our residents recited poems and participated in a wartime sing-a-long.

In honour of World Kindness Day, our residents at Mount Tryon painted stones by hand, adorned them with actual dried flowers, and penned heartfelt notes to express gratitude to all of our employees.