Activities at Hunters Care Home
Activities are the cornerstone of a wholesome home experience and our Activities Coordinators are always putting their creative minds to the test by organising new and exciting social events for residents to partake in. Of course, we take into account the likes and dislikes of those we support, so if someone doesn’t feel like trying something new, there will always be something on offer to reflect their personal interests. For the people who may just prefer some peace and quiet instead, we also offer one-to-one time that can be enjoyed with a nice cup of coffee or just a simple chat – whatever they desire.
Ben Sandall
Hello I am Ben and I am the Activities Coordinator at Hunters. I started working at Hunters as part of the hospitality team, but when a vacancy came up on the activities team I jumped at the opportunity. I have seen how important a varied activities programme is and the team ensure we offer something for everyone including regular past times.
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 Hunters Care Home
Baking Bread
Today, we took up the challenge to make an entry for our Harvest Bread Making competition. The residents helped to roll, cut, kneed and mix to make our beautiful bread wheatsheaf and a country mouse.
Olympic Games 2020
The Olympic Games 2020 in Japan have been postponed unfortunately, but this has not stopped the residents at Hunters enjoying themselves and taking part in their own Olympics. To coincide with the British Athletics Championships Hunters held its own very unique version of the traditional Olympic events.
The residents took part in bowls, golf, tennis and bean bag shot putt to compete for a coveted golden trophy. Each winner was awarded with their trophy during a presentation ceremony with the National Anthem playing in the background. Everyone enjoyed a fun afternoon with no one taking things too seriously.
Happiness at Hunters
At the end of the summer term, the children from Bibury and North Cerney Primary Schools sent some lovely pictures that they had made in an arts and crafts session.
Both schools have strong links to Hunters; we take part in many joint community-based activities. In recent months, the residents have not been able to see the children, but it gave them a real lift to receive so many beautiful pictures. The kind thoughts of the children brought real happiness into the home. The residents decided that the best way to display the art was to make the pictures into large collages, which could be displayed around the home, bringing a smile to the face of everyone who sees them.
Make a Wish
At Hunters, we always try to do things to make the residents feel extra special. One way to do this is to use our wish tree: in reception, there is a basket of leaves for the residents to write out a wish. The leaf is then hung on the wish tree. At the end of the month, the staff team grant as many wishes as they can, which is always guaranteed to put a smile on the faces of the residents.
In the past, residents with a love of horses have attended riding for the disabled. One lady simply wanted to try a take away cheese burger, and another wanted to visit some special places form her youth.
Recently, the staff team have had to be more creative and, often, this involves technology. One lady really wanted to see the house that she shared with her husband for many years. Although we were not able to visit her former home in person, we were able to grant the wish with the use of Google Earth. Margaret was able to see her old front garden, the front of her house and road by using street view.
Arts & Crafts
At Hunters, the residents spent a fun afternoon creating a collage through the decades, starting in the 1940s and working through to the 1970s.
The residents chose where on the time line the pictures belonged and at the same time they were able to discuss their memories and experiences.
The Magic Table
At Hunters, we recognize the need for residents to maintain sensory stimulation and social inclusion to promote their well-being. In our Memory Lane community, we have a Tovertafel Magic Table installed.
The table projects animated and interactive images which can be used to provide activity sessions for the residents. This has proved to be a great asset as it provides physical and sensory stimulation for residents with dementia. It also allows the residents to socialize through group interactions with the table.
