Meet our Activities Coordinator, Louisa Capaldi

Residents and guests of Epsom Beaumont nursing home in Surrey, enjoyed a taste of India as the home hosted its own pop up restaurant in our garden. A selection of curries and sundries from different regions of India were available for restaurant guests to sample, with Chicken Korma being voted as the overall favourite. It was a chance for residents to try some new cuisine while also celebrating one of the nation’s most popular dishes. Louisa Capaldi, Activities Coordinator, Said: “The pop up restaurant was a big hit with our residents and staff. We all like to try something new and everybody got into the spirit of the event, enjoying a selection of curries, dips and snacks.” “Food plays an important part in all of our lives, not just from a nutritional standpoint but also dining out is often how we choose to celebrate special occasions and socialise with friends and loved ones throughout our life, so we like to make the dining experience at Epsom Beaumont an enjoyable one. Due to their healthcare needs, many of our residents have reached a point where visiting a restaurant would be very difficult so our pop-up restaurant events are just another step to ensure that the dining experience at the home is first class.”

 

Our stylish restaurants are a wonderful environment for residents to enjoy their meals, which are cooked on the premises. Every Barchester Healthcare home has a team of trained chefs who prepare beautiful, nutritious meals under the watchful eye of our experienced head chef. We know that there can be no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to care home food, which is why we cater for all special dietary requirements and intolerances, as well as for health needs, for example with low-cholesterol recipes or modified diets.

 

A talented group, singing a selection of feel good sing along songs to celebrate the Queens Jubilee at Barchester Healthcare Epsom Beaumont. Our residents were taken back to memorable eras allowing them to participate and reminisce. The cast comprised professionally trained actors who have a wealth of experience performing in the community. Rah Rah Theatre Company has been running for 20 years and our residents really enjoyed the performance. Our activities coordinator Louisa said: “Staff members really enjoy seeing their residents in new ways, getting to know them better and discovering different approaches and activities that successfully engage them. Our evaluation sessions are often full of stories of surprising moments when residents participated or expressed themselves in a way they hadn't previously.

 

A bit of chair volleyball to keep our residents active part of our life enrichment activities at Epsom Beaumont. Evidence is building that exercise may reduce Alzheimer’s risk and possible slow cognitive decline. The benefits of exercise are widely known when it comes to keeping a healthy body, but a new study has shown these benefits to be much more far-reaching than previously assumed. Benefits that can help keep dementia at bay, even in older people whose brains showed the hallmark signs of Alzheimer's and other cognitive diseases. You may not have seen any high-flying ski jumping or triple toe loops at the Barchester Healthcare , but what you do see is engaging activity, teamwork, sportsmanship, and a whole lot of laughter. What’s more, the effort exuded by the residents affords them the opportunity for reduced risk of cognitive decline.

Here at Epsom Beaumont we have weekly baking classes with our residents. For those struggling with depression, baking can act as a therapeutic respite from negative thoughts. Because it is a task that requires focus and attention, there is less room for these negative thoughts to settle and grow: it’s just the baker and the baked goods. The tangible reward at the end of the recipe is also an uplifting mood booster. By thinking of activities which give the person with dementia meaning and engagement as much as possible, we can make sure these needs continue to be met, not only when their dementia progresses but also in the pandemic we’re facing which has meant that many people are now staying indoors

For many people, visiting a loved one’s grave becomes part of a comforting tradition. They bring flowers or mementoes on special days, like birthdays or holidays. They spend time talking to their loved one, updating them on the grandkids, the new house, or whatever else they want. At first, the tradition may be sad, but over time, visiting the grave becomes a joyful and peace-filled ritual that brings comfort and keeps a loved one’s memory alive and strong. On this occasion one of our resident visited her husband’s graveside to pay respect and reminisce the past. Our in house florist Gayathri prepared a handmade bouquet of flowers and we went with her in our Barchester Healthcare mini bus to spend time at the Epsom & Ewell graveside.