Activities at Elm Bank Care Home

We wanted to share  with you some more of our wonderful birthdays celebrated in September. Birthdays are so much more than just another day, they are an opportunity to celebrate each resident, their life, and the memories they have created. Here at the home we ensure every resident receives their very own personalised birthday cake, making their day special and as unique and meaningful as they are. Please enjoy the photos below, that have captured the smiles, laughter and joy making every birthday a truly memorable occasion here at the home.

Recently we had a wonderful afternoon with our residents on the Blossom Trail Community, creating delicious biscuits all from the comfort of their own rooms. With plenty of encouragement, conversation and a little creativity, everyone was able to take part at their own pace and enjoy the simple pleasure of baking. Adapting activities is such an important part of person-centred care and sometimes with just a simple small adjustment  everyone is able to participate. All our residents had a real sense of achievement, and once the biscuits were baked, it was not long before they were devoured!

We began our day with a trip to Dementia Sings Out at the Compass Church in Wellingborough. There was dancing, singing and plenty of familiar music that bought back happy memories and encouraged everyone to join in at their own pace. The place is magical for the community, providing all with opportunities for companionship, connection and belonging.

The fun continued in the afternoon when we rolled up our sleeves and created our own pizza's! Everyone had a delicious selection of toppings, allowing for some spectacular combinations to be put together. This activity encouraged independence, choice and sensory engagement for all. There was such a huge sense of achievement when all the pizza's came back freshly cooked, they did not last long!

Residents, staff, family and friends came together to enjoy a wonderful summer barbecue, creating a warm and memorable afternoon that was filled with good food, music, laughter and plenty of dancing.

The afternoon barbecue offered everyone the opportunity to enjoy some traditional summer favourites, including delicious hot dogs, burgers and tasty accompaniments, all enjoyed in a relaxed and sociable atmosphere. Gavin provided great live music, residents and guests were encouraged to join in with dancing and singing adding to the cheerful occasion.

Tina, Activities Co-ordinator said, “The residents had a truly wonderful time, they were able to express themselves and simply enjoy the company of those around them. Gavin really got everyone up and dancing.”

General Manager, Larisa Bledea, said: “It is so wonderful to be able to host a barbecue at the home that is open to all, it was a great afternoon of music, dance and so many wonderful memories were made. Days like these are so important in our home, they really create magical moments for our residents, friends and family and bringing the community together.”
 

August is here and we have our first three birthdays of the month, and what wonderful celebrations they have been!

Birthdays are so much more than just another day, they are an opportunity to celebrate each resident, their life, and the memories they have created.

Here at the home we ensure every resident receives their very own personalised birthday cake, making their day special and as unique and meaningful as they are.

Please enjoy the photos below, that have captured the smiles, laughter and joy making every birthday a truly memorable occasion.

What a great day we had here at the home recently as we hosted an amazing talk from 'Fitted By Tamara' about all things Bra's and also a visit from 'Count Down Cares' with Ann and her lovely Pop-Up Shop. The day provided our lovely residents, family and friends with an opportunity to learn all about the importance of a well fitted bra and the new bra's that offer support in many different ways, from ease of putting on to helping with better support. The day also offered residents, family and friends with a lovely home shopping experience from Ann and her Pop-Up Shop, offering a new collection of clothing for the season. 

It was a fun and engaging day for all and an informative one for all. We can not thank both ladies enough for coming to the home and providing us all with wonderful opportunities to experience new things.

We wanted to share with you our first two wonderful  birthday celebrations of this month. Birthdays are so much more than just another day, they are an opportunity to celebrate each resident, their life, and the memories they have created. Here at the home we ensure every resident receives their very own personalised birthday cake, making their day special and as unique and meaningful as they are. Please enjoy the photos below, that have captured the smiles, laughter and joy making every birthday a truly memorable occasion here at the home.

Residents recently enjoyed a wonderful outing to their local Bosworths Garden Centre in Burton Latimer, having a good look around in the warm September sunshine and the garden centre was truly bursting with colour.

For the residents, there was plenty to see, smell and enjoy, the beautiful displays of roses, geraniums, begonias, fuchsias and lavender brought back some wonderful memories for the residents, who reminisced about their own gardens and favourite flowers. Of course, no outing would have been complete without a little treat, residents sat together in the beautiful café and enjoyed ordering some lovely toasted teacakes and warm drinks.

Tina, Activities Co-ordinator said, “The residents had a truly wonderful time, the afternoon allowed for us to all relax, enjoy each others company and simply have a good old chat in the beautiful surroundings. These simple moments mean so much, helping our residents to feel independent, feeling a connection, being confident and a real sense of belonging in the community.”

General Manager, Larisa Bledea, said: “Outing form a huge part of our homes life enrichment program and we truly enjoy taking our residents out.Trips like these to places in the local community mean so much to our residents and for our residents living with dementia this outing was a wonderful experience. We can not thank Bosworth’s Garden Centre enough for making us all feel so welcome.”
 

Residents enjoyed a rootin’, tootin’ afternoon of music, laughter and friendship as they celebrated Cowboy Day in true Wild West style.

The afternoon was full of excitement as residents and staff donned their cowboy hats and embraced the spirit of the Wild West for a very special afternoon of entertainment. Adding to occasion was the fantastic Steve Carmel, who entertained everyone with a brilliant selection of music that had the room buzzing from start to finish. From the very first song, residents were singing along, clapping their hands and tapping their feet. The whole afternoon was filled with laughter, smiles and wonderful moments of togetherness as residents enjoyed the music alongside staff and friends.

Tina, Activities Co-ordinator said, “The residents had a truly wonderful time, they were able to express themselves and simply enjoy the company of those around them. Steve really sparked a lot of enthusiasm, with familiar songs which encouraged residents to sing along and join in at their own pace.”

General Manager, Larisa Bledea, said: “It is so wonderful to be able to celebrate Cowboy Day, it was a great afternoon of music, dance and so many wonderful memories were made. Days like these are so important in our home, they really create magical moments for our residents, friends and family.”
 

Residents enjoyed a wonderful celebration on National Ice Cream Day, with a fun filled sensory afternoon that brought smiles, laughter and plenty of delicious flavours to the home’s dementia community.

The aprons were on and residents set to work in creating their very own masterpieces, with a colourful selection of ice cream flavours, chocolate buttons, sprinkles and a variety of different sauces to choose from. Residents created unique and tasty treats while enjoying the sights, smells, textures and tastes of the activity. For those residents in their rooms, the activity was taken to them, so that they too could be a part of the experience as they enjoyed delicious bowls of ice cream with their favourite toppings.

Tina, Activities Co-ordinator said, “It was a wonderful simple activity that offered far more than just a tasty treat at the end.”  General Manager Larisa Bledea said: “We really like to ensure that we offer a whole host of activities within our beautiful home, and that residents get to enjoy all life’s simple pleasures, it is not always about lavish activities it is about what the activity means to our residents and the benefit it creates for them.”
 

What another great day we had here recently, with something different for our lovely residents to enjoy throughout the day. Our morning began with a visit from Tom G's Fitness, who visits our beautiful home every fortnight to deliver specially adapted exercises so that everyone can participate at their own level. The sessions Tom delivers are more than just exercise, they encourage movement, confidence, social interaction and plenty of smiles along the way! Tom really has got to know all our residents well and this is why his classes are tailored to each residents needs and residents really look forward to his visits.

In the afternoon, we switched things up a bit with a celebration of National Beer Lovers Day! There was live music, laughter, plenty of conversation as our residents enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of live entertainment from mini concerts together and a drink!.

Every day is different here, and we really do like to ensure every resident gets to participate in life enriching experiences.

Here at the home we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to continue doing the things that bring them real meaning, purpose and a sense of achievement. Our wonderful Resident Ambassador, John recently shared his wish to have a role where he could contribute and support others. We were truly delighted to help John turn that wish in to reality, and John has now taken on a new role as an Activities Assistant. John has really embraced his new responsibilities with real enthusiasm and reports for duty every day proudly wearing his pink t-shirt!

As the days and weeks go by we will be keeping you posted on John in his new role and the adventures he gets up to with all our lovely residents!

The lovely photos below and short videos have captured the joy John gets from being a part of the activities team.

Residents, staff, family and friends have been enjoying the wonderful benefits of regular visits from not one, but two much-loved Pets As Therapy (PAT) dogs. The two dogs, Charlie and Alma have quickly become a firm favourite with residents, staff, friends and family alike.

The visits bring an extra special warmth to the home with the residents enjoying the opportunity to spend time with the dogs, offering gentle strokes, sharing cuddles and simply enjoying their company. For many residents, the presence of a friendly dog can evoke treasured memories of pets they have loved throughout their lives.

Tina, Activities Co-ordinator said, “The dogs really provide far more than just companionship, their visits encourage conversation, connection and positive memories, while offering our residents a calming and comforting experience. Even residents who may not always wish to take part in activities, especially group activities can enjoy the gentle presence of a PAT dog.”

General Manager, Larisa Bledea, said: “It is so wonderful to be able to open our doors to these two remarkable PAT dogs. For our residents living with dementia, these dogs offer meaningful sensory experiences and allow for interaction without the need for conversation. We always look forward to welcoming Alma and Charlie to our home.”
 

Residents and staff enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of friendship, laughter and music as they came together to celebrate Friendship Day.

The afternoon was filled with smiles and happy memories, with residents enjoying a fantastic live performance from talented singer Gavin, who provided the perfect choice of songs for the afternoon. The lively selection of songs had everyone joining in, singing along and soaking up the atmosphere. The special celebration brought residents and staff together for an afternoon dedicated to the importance of friendship.

Tina, Activities Co-ordinator said, “We all had such a wonderful time, friendship is such an important part of everyday life, particularly for our residents. Having the opportunity to be together, sharing stories, enjoying music and simply having fun, it really created a wonderful sense of belonging and connection for all.”

General Manager, Larisa Bledea, said: “The day was a wonderful reminder that friendship has no age limit. Gavin provided us with fantastic entertainment and the enthusiasm of staff and residents allowed for an afternoon full of smiles, fun and lots of happy memories. The afternoon celebrations highlighted the warm community spirit we have here at Elm Bank.”
 

Residents recently gathered with family, friends and members of the local community for a very joyful afternoon of fun, music and laughter with their much-anticipated Summer Fete.

The afternoon was a wonderful celebration of community spirit, with a fantastic selection of stall holders offering a variety of beautiful gifts, crafts and treats. Residents, family, friends and community enjoyed browsing the colourful stalls, including a popular Guide Dogs charity stall, which helped raise awareness of the work the organisation does in supporting people living with sight loss. The popular tombola was a huge hit with all, resident ambassador John manned the stall attracting plenty of excitement for all, which added to the fun-filled afternoon.

Tina, Activities Co-ordinator said, “We all had a wonderful afternoon with great music provided by Neil Richardson, who had everyone dancing and singing along to old time favourites".

General Manager, Larisa Bledea, said: “Our Summer Fete is always one of the highlights of the year, and it was truly wonderful to see so many residents, relatives, friends and members of the local community enjoying the day together".