Meet our Activities Coordinator, Luisa Painemilla

Hello my name is Luisa, I am an Activities Coordinator at Iddenshall Hall & Beeston View. My work is very rewarding and it is a pleasure planning events & activities each month. I enjoy interacting with residents and learning about people’s interests, preferences and experiences.

I have worked with the elderly over five years and also for fifteen years in the social field as an Activities Coordinator for different social groups in three countries. I have a Degree in Social Integration, A Certificate in Theatrical Psychology & A Music Therapy Certificate. In the past I have worked for Local Authorities and in a Cerebral Palsy Home.

Activities at Iddenshall Hall

Activities here at Iddenshall Hall are an integral part of every day life for each of our residents. We strive to include as many of our residents as possible with the activities schedule. Our Schedule is released monthly and includes activities such as poetry afternoons, indoor games, Bingo, flower arranging, pamper days, quizzes, exercises, various musicians and entertainers, Pat Dog Visits, Music Therapy, discussion groups and trips out in our minibus to local places of interest and further afield to see the Blackpool Lights or to Knowsley Safari Park.

We are constantly asking the people who live in our home which events they would like to see taking place and we endeavor to fulfill these requests. Our aim is to provide a varied and packed schedule which allows for a vast array of skill bases and capabilities. We are in constant contact with local groups and businesses, the local Beaver Scout group are always happy to pay a visit to our home, helping with the garden or coming at Christmas to sing carols for us. We also have a small group of volunteers to help us, including pupils from our local 6th form College who visit once a week.

All the above helps ensure the lives of our Residents are fun and fulfilled.

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 Iddenshall Hall Care Home

History of wine with Unity Wines

We had a lovely time joining Hospitality Manager, Christophe Noel and special guests Lee Isaacs DipWSET and Nick Parker from Unity Wines and Spirits – as they introduced us to wine tasting techniques, the history of wine and wine making, as well as consumer attitudes.

Our residents had the opportunity to try a variety of wines from sparkling and white to rose and red, alongside a selection of delicious treats.

It was a wonderful experience, enjoyed by all.

International Housekeeping Week

In recognition of International Housekeeping Week, we would like to acknowledge and say a big thank you to our Housekeeping Team at the home.

During the week, we spent time learning interesting facts about housekeepers from Victorian times to present day, and our residents reminisced about housekeeping and how it has changed over the years with all the inventions that have brought change into modern homes.

We wrote thank you cards to our housekeepers and looked at old adverts for cleaning brands, which many of our residents remembered.

Mexican Independence Day

We decorated our home with green, white and red flags in celebration of the Mexican Independence Day.

Our residents watched a lovely video filled with fun facts about Mexico as well as a video of the Mexican President perform his traditional cry in 2020.

We all tasted delicious Mexican food: enchiladas, tostadas and tacos, along with traditional drinks such as tequila and mescal.

It was a lovely day, enjoyed by all.

Musical journey with English National Ballet

We celebrated Last Night of the Proms virtually with members of English National Ballet’s Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Music Director Gavin Sutherland.

We listened and danced along as members of the orchestra took us on a magical, musical journey. English National Ballet Philharmonic is made up of many of the country’s top musicians, and boasts considerable experience in all forms of music-making. With insights and anecdotes into what it takes to conduct an orchestra for a world-class ballet company, this special concert got our feet tapping, arms waving and hearts singing!

It was a wonderful experience, enjoyed by all.

The seasons are changing

Residents of Iddenshall Hall and Beeston View are welcoming the change of seasons from Summer to Autumn. They have made the most of the warm weather in our beautiful gardens this week and have been commenting on the leaves changing colour. Today we have had a relaxing and creative afternoon capturing the wonderful colours of the Autumn leaves in our watercolour paintings.

Inside Scottish Galleries with V&A Dundee

We had a lovely time joining Becca Clark and James Wylie – members of V&A Dundee’s exhibitions team – as they took us on a virtual tour of the museum’s incredible Scottish Design Galleries.

We were introduced to the wide range of unique objects at the galleries from architecture and engineering, jewellery and textiles to theatre and their fascinating stories.

And we were able to learn more about the importance of all objects in telling the rich and varied history of Scottish design.

It was a lovely talk, enjoyed by all.