Activities at Elm Bank Care Home

The residents truly enjoy their new weekly brunch club that is held across all communities within the home.

Many of us enjoy a brunch every now and then and for the residents it is no different. It is now a weekly club that runs on a Tuesday morning on a different community each week. The Brunch club offers delicious warm pastries with tea and coffee, whilst allowing for all across the community to get to know one another better and catch up with what has been happening around the home during the week.

Tina the activities co-ordinator said: “The brunch club is a great way for all residents to get to know one another and our amazing chefs ensure that this is an all-inclusive club by catering for residents on different diets such as creating pureed food for those that require it. We even ensure that for residents that are not wanting to come out of their rooms or who are unable due to health issues that brunch is taken to them. It is a real good way of connecting communities and creating friendships.”

Marvellous Bindura, General Manager said, “It is lovely to see our residents enjoying the brunch club across all the communities in the home. Our wonderful chefs work so hard to ensure that everyone is offered something no matter their dietary requirements, no one misses out. It is a club that allows also for residents from all communities to get together, no one will say no to a warm pastry and drink. It is great that for residents who are in their rooms the brunch club is taken to them, allowing for all to be involved.”

Elm Bank marked the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day in style by throwing a 1940s afternoon of musical entertainment by the D-Dollies from Mini Concerts.  The home was alive with songs from the past, residents reminisced, and flags were flown, it was an emotional day and for some tears were shed. It was a day that meant so much to so many, with the music came a delicious tea with cakes fitting for the special occasion.

The homes talented chefs whipped up a delicious selection of freshly-baked biscuits and cakes for the occasion, all washed down with pots of tea and a celebratory glass of fizz to mark the occasion for that wished.

Some residents observed the national two minute silence and listened again to Churchill’s iconic speech accepting Germany’s surrender and an address from the Queen.  They reminisced about their memories of VE Day and watched clips of the celebrations that took place outside Buckingham Palace and all across London.

Marvellous Bindura, General Manager at Elm Bank said: “Many of our residents can remember the end of the war and we all know what it meant for our country so we wanted to celebrate the date and listen to our residents’ memories of the war and the experiences they lived through.”

One resident said: “I remember everything that happened on VE Day, I remember what I was doing from 7am that morning until the evening where I met my boyfriend. I shed a few tears during the concert today as this day means so much to me, I was only 18 years old but it seems like yesterday. I have had a beautiful day and I am very happy.”

Staff and residents had a fantastic time celebrating National Beer Day on April 7th, surely for those that love a cold beer this was a day to be celebrated.  

Every year in America National Beer Day is celebrated on the 7th of April, it was decided that at Elm Bank Care Home it to would be celebrated, it was great for the residents who had links with America. It was also perfect for residents that had never heard of the American National Beer Day, on the same day the home celebrated the World Health Organisations World Health Day. It certainly was a very fun day for all, with healthy snacks and smoothies for those that wanted or a nice chilled beer, or both.

Tina, Activities Co-ordinator, said: “Celebrating important days throughout the year are very important to us here at the home, for our residents it brings new opportunities, and World Health Day alongside National Beer Day was a perfect opportunity to celebrate both , working closely with the talented chefs allowed for all our residents to enjoy the day”.

Marvellous Bindura, General Manager at the home, said: “It has been a brilliant day and it is wonderful that as a home we all work together in making celebrating key days throughout the world here in our home possible. Combining activities that honour both traditions here and abroad are certainly a perfect way to keep our residents and their loved ones engaged”.

Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.

Staff and residents had a fantastic time celebrating World Health Day on April 7th, surely one of the best days of the year to enjoy some delicious smoothies and healthy treats!

Every year the World Health Organisation decides on a special theme that is current in the wellness world and the medical world. The theme can be based on anything that is relevant, it is a day that is set to raise awareness of the importance of global health. It is a day when we can all look towards taking action on our own healthier futures. For the residents of Elm Bank, keeping fit and healthy is very important. The talented chefs marked the important day by whipping up a selection of different smoothies and healthy baked treats for all in the home to enjoy, with an array of flavours and toppings on offer. Residents could select from: - Cherry, Blackberry, Mango & Spinach or Peanut Butter smoothies along with scrumptious healthy baked treats.

Tina, Activities Co-ordinator, said: “Celebrating important days throughout the year are very important to us here at the home, for our residents it brings new opportunities, and World Health Day was a perfect day to celebrate, working closely with the talented chefs allowed for all our residents to enjoy the day. The chefs created smoothies and baked treats that were also pureed for the residents that have a special diet adaption, it was a very inclusive event for all in the home”.

Marvellous Bindura, General Manager at the home, said: “It has been a brilliant day and it is wonderful that as a home we all work together in making every activity and celebration inclusive for all our residents. The chefs here did an amazing job of ensuring every resident no matter their dietary requirements was included in this wonderful day”.

Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.

The residents at made the most of the Easter Bank Holiday Monday with a fun Easter concert from Mini Concerts.  

Bank holidays are for relaxing and enjoying the day, or doing something fun, which is just what the residents  did. All of the residents enjoyed a wonderful Bank Holiday Easter Concert performed by Devon from Mini Concerts. The concert was held in the beautifully decorated lounge within the home, which is simply a joy to be entertained in. The sun was out, the birds were singing and the music created by Mini Concerts echoed throughout the beautiful surroundings. It was an afternoon to remember. As the music came to an end, everyone enjoyed delicious homemade cakes and tea, reminiscing of times past and simply enjoying the afternoon.

Tina, Activities Co-ordinator said, “It is really important to us all here at the home that we celebrate key days throughout the year. Bank holidays are important here at the home and we love to have entertainment on for our residents and their loved ones to enjoy. Our Easter Bank Holiday Monday concert went down really well with everyone singing and reminiscing of times past. It was lovely of Devon the singer from Mini Concerts to leave little mini eggs for all to enjoy with a cup of tea”.

Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.

Elm Bank care home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals. Elm Bank provides residential and dementia care for residents from respite care to long term stays.

Staff and residents have nurtured nine beautiful fluffy chicks, with many cuddles along the way before the fond farewell.

The residents and staff received the eggs from the company ‘Living Eggs’ and lovingly nurtured the eggs from incubation to hatching. After having the chicks for two weeks and watching them grow, it was time for the final cuddles from the fluffy chicks and a fond farewell. The residents and staff enjoyed the delightful little chicks that provided so much joy for all throughout the home with plenty of cuddles, and now they have gone to a beautiful small holding to enjoy their new life. For many of the residents it provided a new experience and a very educational one, for others it was a chance to remember when they were young and had kept chickens themselves.

Activities Co-ordinator, Tina said: “It is the second time we have had ‘Living Eggs’ at the home, it is so educational and informative, the results of hatching your own chicks is so rewarding. It is a lovely time of year that really brings everyone together and creates so much happiness within the home. It is great that the chicks can be held and for our dementia residents this really was a fantastic experience.”

General Manager, Marvellous Bindura said: “The chicks have created so much joy for our residents, staff and visitors, it has been wonderful to watch them in the incubator, then finally hatching. We now have wished our fluffy friends a fond farewell. The Living Eggs experience was unique and it was great to see our residents and staff enjoy the whole process from start to finish.”