What types of care does Hickathrift House Care Home offer?

Hickathrift House Care Home offers Residential care, Dementia care, Respite / Short stay.

Activities at Hickathrift House Care Home

We have two Activities Coordinators here at Hickathrift House. We have a wide range of activities within the home, including musical entertainment, arts & crafts, clubs for like-minded people, such as flower arranging and gardening, board games, baking (where the best bit is the eating afterwards!), and we celebrate special events throughout the year. We also have trips out on a regular basis using our own minibus, where we find out places of interest each person would like to visit.

It is important to us that each individual who we support can get as much from these activities as possible, so we try our best to arrange activities that reflect their interests and capabilities, and encourage them to participate in any way they can. We also encourage relatives to join in with activities and events as often as they can.

For the less mobile residents, we unique one-to-one session, such as simple chats over a cup of tea, reading or listening to music. Activities are some of the most important aspects of a care home, so it is essential that our team are dedicated to ensuring that residents are entertained, and that life at Hickathrift House is fun and active.

Watch our video on life enrichment in our homes.

Kat Colangelo

Activities Lead

Hello, my name is Kat and I am the Activities Lead here at Hickathrift House.

Since 2017 I have been working in the field of well-being and I am passionate and enthusiastic about enriching all our of residents' quality of life.

As the Activities Lead at Hickathrift House, my focus is learning about each of our resident's likes and dislikes and supporting them to remain receptive and active in addition to supporting them to engage with our local community friends.

I organise activities to stimulate the mind, body and soul in an enjoyable, comfortable way. My aim is to diversify and increase activities ensuring that there is something for everyone - from Wine and Cheese events, excursions on our home Mini Bus as well as individual bespoke person-centered activities.

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 Hickathrift House Care Home

Craft Afternoon with Debbie

Residents enjoyed a craft afternoon with Debbie from Gratitude 43. Everyone made their own design on an old picture frame from napkins. The frames were painted first with chalk paint. Then everyone chose the design that they wanted to put on their frame.

There was a lovely atmosphere with everyone chatting about what they were doing. All who took part were really pleased with the outcome, and said that they are looking forward to next time.

Residents Watched a Romantic Film on Valnetine's Day

The activity room was transformed into a cinema room for the afternoon. It was also decorated with heart buntings ,which the residents made in crafts, and heart shaped balloons. The film was Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, everyone enjoyed a nice cup of tea, and a jam donut at the interval.

Afterwards everyone said how much they enjoyed the film. Elsie said that she would like to see Singing in the Rain next time we have a movie afternoon. It was a big success.

Arts and Crafts

One of the residents enjoys arts and crafts and designed a plaque that she made with Debbie from Gratitude 43. Debbie comes in once a month and does different crafts with our ladies and gents.

Christmas Festivities

Residents at Hickathrift House have enjoyed a Christmas sing along with our regular volunteers that come in every Friday They dressed up in their Christmas outfits, everyone had a lovely time and got into the Christmas spirit.

The Veteran of Hickathrift

Cpl Norman Newbold 90 of the Royal Fusiliers, a current resident at Hickathrift House Care Home, Marshland St James, completed his national service in June 1949. He had recently been invited to attend an Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club meeting held at Rose Lodge Care Home, Wisbech, where it was found that several veterans had still yet to receive their Veterans Badges. Staff at both Homes are actively applying for Veterans Badges for those who have yet to receive theirs.

The HM Armed Forces veterans’ badge was launched in May 2004 by the then Minister for Veterans Ivor Caplin to enable the wider public to identify veterans. The first lapel badge was issued on 10 May 2004 to Lord Healey, a veteran of the Battle of Monte Cassino. This initiated the roll-out of the badge to the generation who served in the second world war. Since then eligibility to apply for the badge has been extended in sequential phases and now all veterans are eligible to apply.

Mr Newbold’s family was able to provide his service record book which allowed the ease of the application and he is the first of several to receive his Veterans Badge at Hickathrift House. His badge was presented by Warrant Officer Class 1 JM Hall Royal Engineers (Hickathrift House Head of Maintenance) who is also a Veteran and current Army Reservist.

Coffee Morning

We headed out to one of our sister homes, Rose Lodge, for a coffee morning, where the ladies and gents enjoyed a chat, along with some tea, coffee and cake in the dining room. Everyone said it was really nice to get together, and would like to do it again soon.