Activities at Austen House Care Home
Here at Austen House, we like to get to know those we support, and from the day of moving in, our activities team will spend time on an individual basis learning about interests, likes and dislikes, life history and favourite hobbies.
We provide a wide range of activities, from one-to-one time, manicures and board games, through to live entertainment, prize bingo and our ever-popular cheese & wine events. Our activities team will also tailor individual activities to ensure residents can have as much or as little involvement as they choose.
In the summer months, greater focus is given to outdoor activities, such as barbecues and garden parties. In conjunction with our Chef, themed events are planned throughout the year, bringing activities and food together.
In their pink polo shirts, our activities team are easily identifiable and embrace ideas and suggestions from residents and their relatives to ensure that the activities provided keep those we support engaged, stimulated and entertained.
Iuliana Buican
Hi my name is Iuliana, I was a history teacher for 12 years before I joined Barchester in 2017. I am passionate about my job and love working with people. I enjoy planning and delivering meaningful activities which make a difference to our residents lives.
Read our brochure 'Life-enriching activities' for more information about life in our care homes.
Read our brochure
Activities and Events Partnerships
As part of our bespoke life-enrichment programmes, we host a number of live virtual events in the home on a regular basis through a number of partnerships with places of interest and world class performance companies
Life at Austen House Care Home
St George's Day
We had a great time celebrating St. George’s Day! Jo and Margaret are holding the dragon we made early in the week. We had a lovely pub afternoon with lot of sweets and treats.
Men in Sheds
The gentleman in the home always enjoy getting together. Whether its for a game of pool, a chat and a beer in the garden or making sure the spring pots are planted. We always make sure there is activities for them to enjoy.
St Patrick's Day Celebrations
Residents and Staff had a great time celebrating everything Irish. They embraced, traditions, food and of course enjoyed a little drop of Guinness too.
Family reunions as visiting is back
For residents at Austen House, the long awaited reunion with one family member has become a reality. As one visitor is now allowed to visit in their bedroom.
Natsayi General Manager said " This is the first cautious step towards having a buzz in the home again. It is wonderful to see how happy it made the residents and their families.
Visit from the Mayor
The Mayor of Reading made a surprise visit to Austen House. He came with flowers and a card as a Thank you to everyone for their hard work and dedication. It was a lovely visit and Frasier the springer spaniel loved the fuss too.
Becoming a Dementia friend
We always try to make wishes come true and this lovely lady Jo is no exception. She really wanted to learn more and understand about dementia and how she could help. We set up a Zoom course for her to attend so she could gain more knowledge and awareness.
