Celebrating life at Barchester

We had a wonderful trip to Carlisle Cathedral this afternoon. We enjoyed a fascinating and informative guided tour, where we learnt so much about the cathedral and its history.

We were also lucky enough to see the beautiful sculpture of the moon. The residents were absolutely in awe of it and completely taken aback by its beauty!

To make the afternoon even more special, we had the pleasure of hearing the organist playing the magnificent organ. The beautiful music was so peaceful and relaxing and created a truly lovely atmosphere. Overall, it was a wonderful afternoon filled with beautiful sights, fascinating history and moments to remember. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves!   

Some of our residents had a fantastic time enjoying a lovely walk along the front, taking in the sights and visiting the famous “Big Fella” statue. There was plenty of fun to be had in the arcades too, followed by the all-important fish and chips! 

Lots of smiles, laughter and wonderful memories are made. What a fabulous day! 

Today we held a wonderful coffee morning in support of Macmillan, and what a fantastic morning it was! Our dining room was filled with music, laughter, chatting and even a little dancing! A huge thank you to the incredibly talented Darren, who entertained us with some much-loved songs that had everyone singing along. 

And, of course, the cakes were absolutely amazing and went down a treat! A heartfelt thank you to everyone who baked, donated cakes and contributed to such a wonderful charity. We’re delighted to have raised over £150! 

A big congratulations to our resident Wendy, who was the lucky winner of the fabulous hamper! Thank you to everyone who helped make the morning so special. It was wonderful to see everyone coming together, having fun and supporting such an important cause.    

One of our favourite monthly activities is our intergenerational session with Moo, Moo music, where we are treated to a morning of singing, dancing, role-play, parachute games, bubbles and light senses, along with a chaotic room full of babies and toddlers with mums and granny’s the best fun. We enjoy holding the babies and often the conversation is about how lovely they smell and how they sleep well!! 

We also love getting stuck in with all the props. Each month has a theme and this was “around the house”, so we mixed cakes, drank tea and generally had a lot of fun.     

We tried a more modern recipe this year. We used chocolate milk and Baileys to soak the fruit and no eggs or butter was used, which provoked lots of conversation within the room and anyone that was passing, which was great. Anne and Sarah shared tints and recipes that they had tried over the years. 

The main thing was we all enjoyed stealing a cherry or two and our fondest memories were the smell of the cake as we mixed and as it was cooking.    

Wonderful spending time with our residents to ensure we know everything they enjoy doing and make sure they know that we can add more to know they are full of joy and happiness. 

Valued and meaningful activities are for everyone. Activities help them to experience a sense of purpose and fulfilment as well as help them to connect with others. Meaningful activities vary from one person to another because activities encompass a wide range of different interests and pursuits. What matters most is that everyone is indeed engaging in activities that they love and feel they are meaningful.     

Mortain Place care home, Eastbourne, seized a recent opportunity to make a dream come true for one of their residents. Enid moved to Mortain Place in 2024. She was born and grew up in Bolton. She had always had a passion for dance and, sadly, she was diagnosed with dementia a few years ago. She spends her days being creative, colouring and painting and even looking out for other residents. She cares about other people greatly, and she makes sure everyone else is well, as she likes purpose and puts everyone else’s needs before her own.

Enid enjoyed ballet lessons as a child. She went to dance school from the age of ten. Her Mum made her dresses and outfits and as she progressed through life, she developed in her adult life into a dance and ballet teacher. Ballet made Enid feel special, happy, and it gave her a sense of belonging. Ballet was her life, and now she is older, watching Ballet brings back the best days of her life.

Bex, the activities lead at Mortain Place, booked tickets for Swan Lake, performed by the classical Imperial Ballet Company at The Congress Theatre, Eastbourne. Enid’s reaction was sensational. She became elevated and excited once she knew tickets had been acquired. Watching the Ballet brought her so much happiness and joy, it clearly meant the world to her. She was so grateful for the team of support around her to allow her and other residents to safely make the trip and enjoy the entertainment.

Kim, a senior carer, highlighted, “I think it is great that we facilitated her wish, and I am really proud of the team at Mortain Place.” The theatre outing was special and fully embodied their person-centred approach, exemplifying what they are known for locally. Empowering a resident’s individual needs and taking the time to listen is paramount. Understanding every resident’s passion, past, hobbies and interest is vital to ensuring their experience is special and memorable. Their initial getting to know their resident admission process and continual getting to know residents’ long term, combined with a whole team approach, allows happy residents to enjoy their lives, whilst being supported with care and stimulating daily variety.  

We had a great time at our Craft & Chat Café, which we enjoyed together with Guardian Angel Carers. Our residents had a lovely time getting creative, chatting, and enjoying the company of others.

We were also delighted to celebrate the day with the Mayor of Winchester, making it an extra special occasion. It was a wonderful afternoon filled with creativity, conversation and community spirit!       

Our residents are embracing the autumn spirit with a variety of seasonal arts and crafts, especially getting creative with our pumpkin painting! It was lovely to see everyone having fun, showing off their creativity.