Activities at Derham House Care Home
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.
Kay Thompson
I have worked in the care sector for many years. I am fully trained in dementia awareness, and I have also trained as a dignity champion. I have been working here at Derham House since March 2019, and I am really enjoying my role here.
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 Derham House Care Home
Sunday Mass
We have started to attend Saint Joseph's Catholic Church every Sunday for Mass.
Catholic residents head to our local parish in the minibus, which everyone really enjoys. We have been very warmly welcomed by the church, who have reserved seats for us.
Following this we will be reaching out to other churches and community events that we can also take part in.
Our Baby Birds
We have new babies here at Derham House, with one nest of fens and another nest of blue tits in our gardens. We have such wonderful wildlife around our home...
Memory Garden Opening
We recently celebrated the official opening of our Memory Garden, which features a fountain dedicated to the memory of our former friend a colleague, Dawn Shelly.
Dawn was a Care Assistant at Derham House from 2009 to 2015. She sadly passed away from cancer, leaving her two children and husband, and her sister Maria, who still works here today as one of the Lifestyle Leaders.
This garden will grow in time with plaques, personalised pebbles, wind chimes and such things that family and friends would like to put there in memory of their loved ones.
Church Trips
We have started attend our local Methodist church service. We have been welcomed by Rev. Jason Vinyard at our local parish in Hall Lane, Upminster.
Residents have decided to attend once a fortnight on a Wednesday, and will have tea and biscuits with the other parishioners after.
The Church of England also come into our home once a month to host a mass, and we attend our local Catholic church weekly.
We aim to support the spiritual needs of all residents to the best of our abilities.
Derham House in Bloom
We have been making up hanging baskets for our gardens. We all had a great day in the sun and enjoyed doing our part for the home, and look forward to helping out in the potting and designs of our gardens in the future.
Also, we are entering Barchester in Bloom this year, to be judged with the other homes.
Brentwood Cathedral
We had a trip to the Brentwood Cathedral in our minibus. We were welcomed by all there with reserved seating, a warm greeting and a call out from Father Martin at the start of mass. Afterwards, we took the residents to a lovely open park, where we enjoyed a packed lunch that was prepared by our kitchen team before we left.
