Meet our Activities Coordinator, Megan Haigh

Hi I’m Meg and I’m the activities coordinator here at the Dales. I have only been with Barchester a few months, however I feel that I have settled in so well it feels like home! I thrive to provide a fun and enriching life here at The Dales for all of the residents.

I am a very kind and caring person so love to help where I can in the home to enhance the resident’s lives here. After recently completing my fashion degree, I love anything creative and fun and can’t wait to bring my experience into the daily activities here at the dales! I’m an active and outgoing person and I’m looking to use these skills to bring engaging experiences to all.

Activities at the Dales

We understand that the people we support have passions and interests that could be difficult to pursue after moving into a care home – but that doesn’t mean we don’t encourage them to try! Some hobbies can define a person, so our Activities Coordinators are dedicated to ensuring that everyone we support is able to do what makes them happy to the best of their abilities. Social events are organised with individual tastes in mind and with the idea that residents have the opportunity to try new and exciting things.

Life at The Dales Care Home

Birthday celebrations

We think Birthdays are very special here at the Dales! This month we celebrated five special birthdays! The music was playing while we opened presents and shared homemade birthday cake, the residents love to celebrate birthdays.

Pamper party

Who doesn’t love a pamper? Whether that may be a new hair style, manicure or hand massage everyone loves the Dales pamper days! Residents enjoy a slice of home made cake with a tea or coffee whilst listening to their favourite classic hits.

Residents get creative!

Residents at the Dales love getting creative at their popular arts & crafts sessions. Residents here spend the afternoon creating brightly coloured paintings and dream catches to display throughout the home. Residents love showing their creative sides over a cup of tea and a delicious slice of home made cake.

Baking delight for Residents

Residents at the Dales love their baking mornings! A popular choice is creating firm favourite cornflake cakes while enjoying the 60’s music playing in the background. They must have been good as they couldn’t stop eating them while mixing the ingredients!

National Cream Tea Day

The Dales brewed up a storm for National Cream Tea day on the 26th June. Finally putting an end to the controversial debate of cream before jam for the Cornish tradition or jam before cream as part of the Devonshire tradition, The Dales enjoyed a selection of homemade scones both ways with a fes-tea-val of herbal and classic teas. The hospitality prepared traditional finger sandwiches, cherry or chocolate scones which were delicious.

Lockdown has allowed residents to use their creativi-tea to become tech savvy, and as such family and friends were able to join the par-tea, via video call. Stacey Nicholson, Senior General Manager at The Dales said: “Residents really enjoyed the sweets and savouries for National Cream Tea day, we even learnt the history of the British tradition and participated in a few traditions of our own. We are continually adapting, and finding new ways to make sure every effort is focused on creating an enjoyable environment for all of our residents, whilst adhering to social distancing advice. The cream tea has been superb and everyone has had a great day.”

Enjoying the garden

Residents of The Dales took to the homes beautiful garden to take advantage of the recent glorious weather. Everyone commented on how much better they felt for grabbing a breath of fresh air, feeling the sun on their faces and checking on the progress of the plants, including the colourful pots that have just been added.

Residents have helped plant flowers in the window boxes which have been grown in the homes greenhouse over the past few months. Resident’s love to sit outside on the patio in the sunshine and like to reminisce about holidays and time spent with family in their gardens when they were younger.