Activities at Laurel Bank Care Home
Activities are a fundamental part of a rich and varied lifestyle here at Laurel Bank Care Home, which is why we organise both physically and mentally stimulating social events for those we support. The weekly itinerary is ever-changing, and regularly includes art lessons, chair-based exercise, trips and visits from a variety of different animals, as well as one-to-one time for residents who prefer the peace and quiet. Our team actively tries to incorporate the hobbies and interests that are meaningful to residents into the activities schedule as encouragement to continue with much-loved pastimes.
Jaimy Lee Almond
Hi, my name is Jaimy Lee, and I am the Activities Coordinator here at Laurel Bank.
I have worked in the care home industry for over nine years. I started working at Laurel Bank in 2018 as a carer, and then, I was promoted to senior carer which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I moved over to activities in 2020, as I was asked to help out and help encourage residents to join in. During this, I realised how much fun it could be and chose to stay on and got promoted to Activities Coordinator.
I love my role as every day is different and I try to make sure the residents are happy and engage in meaningful activities, this also helps support the transition for new residents.
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 Laurel Bank Care Home
50-50-500 Challenge
Our resident ambassador, activities coordinator and deputy manager went to St John's today to find out about the 50-50-500 challenge! That is 50 businesses, 50 days to raise 500 pound. We have now signed up the Laurel Bank team to the challenge and we cannot wait. Keep your eye out on how we are going to be raising money for St John's.
Happy Couples on Valentine’s Day
Laurel Bank care home, in Lancaster, celebrated the day of love by having a Valentine’s Day meal all prepared and cooked by Chef Melvin. We then went onto playing a game of Mr and Mrs but our own version, Happy Couples. Staff and residents teamed up with their paddle boards whilst Sally Fisher clinical lead hosted the event. A series of questions were asked to each couple and they all answered with their paddles. Lyndsay Scott manager and Kerry Ohara head of maintenance stole the show. They answered every question correctly and won first prize!
Pamper day with the Boss
Karen and Lyndsay Scott manager at Laurel bank went for their nail appointment at Pony beauty nails in Lancaster. They both love a monthly trip to be pampered. It was Karen's turn to pick what style and she chose red for Valentine’s Day! Thank you to all your team at the nail salon you always do such a great job!
Valentine's Day
Laurel Bank celebrated the day of love by having a delicious Valentine’s Day meal of smoked salmon with crushed new potatoes and seasonal vegetables followed by homemade chocolate mousse prepared and cooked by Chef Melvin. Staff and residents then went on to play their own version of the hit TV game show Mr. and Mrs., which they dubbed Happy Couples.
Staff and residents teamed up with their paddle boards whilst Laurel Bank’s Clinical Lead, Sally Fisher, hosted the event. A series of questions were asked to each couple and they all answered with their paddles. General Manager, Lyndsay Scott, and Kerry O’Hara, Head of Maintenance, stole the show- they answered every question correctly and won first prize!
Home receive CQC Good in latest inspection
Laurel Bank on Westbourne Road in Lancaster passed a recent Care Quality Commission inspection with an overall “Good” rating after being praised for a responsive, safe, effective, caring and well-led service. The CQC inspected the home on 20th December 2023 the report was released on 5th January 2024 and rated the home, run by Barchester Healthcare, as “Good” overall.
The report stated that there were, “Processes to check continuously by the registered manager to check and maintain people’s welfare.” The report went on to say “People told us that they felt safe living at Laurel Bank. One person said, “Some of the residents can be a bit unsteady but there is always staff in the dining room and lounges.”
Home helps local carer
Staff at Barchester’s Laurel Bank care home in Lancaster have stepped in to help a local carer in her hour of need. Tragically, Louise Chambers, who was born and bred in Preston, was recently diagnosed with a brain tumour and told there was no cure. She is only 44 years of age. She very quickly started to lose feeling in the left hand side of her body and when she lost the ability to walk, Lou started a go fund me page to try to raise the money she needed to buy an electric wheelchair. Laurel Bank’s kind-hearted Head of Maintenance, Kerry Ohara, saw the fundraising page and immediately asked the General Manager at the home if they could help.
Happily, the home had an electric wheelchair that had been left to them by a former resident and they were only too happy to gift it to Lou who is over the moon to be able to regain some of her independence. Lou used to work as a carer for a young boy but sadly her diagnosis has meant that she is no longer able to work.
