Activities at Meadow Park Care Home

Residents designed, baked and decorated a beautiful Easter cake to enter into Barchester's Easter Cake Competition.  Once the photos had been submitted to the judges the cake was cut and individual portions were shared amongst the master bakers.

Residents and staff at Meadow Park celebrated all things Irish for St Patrick’s Day this week. The home was decorated with shamrocks and everyone got dressed up in green to mark the day.

Held on March 17th, Saint Patrick's Day actually observes the death of St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, but the day has come to be a huge celebration of Irish heritage and culture.

Staff and residents at the home marked the day by making shamrock decorations, learning some Irish words and phrases, learning Irish dances, listening to Irish music.

Staff and residents at Barchester’s Meadow Park care home, in Bedlington, were delighted to be invited to have their 2nd vaccination at the home which has lifted everyone’s spirits after what has been a very challenging year for everyone.

General Manager, Vicky Mallaburn said: “Last year was a year like no other and the vaccine feels like the light at the end of the tunnel.  Our teams have been magnificent in how they have risen to every challenge during this pandemic and we are proud to play our part in this next phase to ensure the most vulnerable are protected.”

For residents at Meadow Park care home in Bedlington, the long awaited reunion with one family member has become a reality, as one single named visitor is now allowed to visit each resident in their bedroom.

There has been much anticipation of this moment by families and residents alike.  Guidance was issued by the Government on March 4 and Barchester Healthcare, who run Meadow Park care home, is proceeding with a safe and cautious approach to visiting. Strict protocols are in place with all visitors required to have a negative Lateral Flow Device test result before being allowed into the home, and infection control measures and social distancing in place for every visit, with hand holding allowed but not recommended.

Despite the need for testing and social distancing, it was still welcome news for so many residents and their family members to be able to meet in the comfort of their bedroom. Residents and their relative enjoyed getting together and catching up face to face.

A Care Assistant at Meadow Park in Bedlington has received a prestigious 10 Year Service Award in celebration of working at Barchester Healthcare for 10 years.

Lacey Milner, now Care Assistant, started at Barchester in March, 2011 and has worked with residents and their relatives to ensure that their needs have been met over the years.

Jane McFarlane, Employee Services Director at Barchester said: “I’m always pleased to hear stories about the long service of Barchester staff and am delighted Lacey has achieved this milestone. It is dedication like this that ensures our residents are provided with a happy place to live.”

Staff and residents at Barchester’s Meadow Park care home got up close and personal with some furry friends when they celebrated Squirrel Appreciation Day on 21st January.

Squirrel Appreciation Day is an annual nationwide event raising awareness of the plight of the native red squirrel population, which is in sharp decline. The aim of the event is to inspire people to take action for wildlife. The cold winter months are especially tough for animals and birds; as temperatures drop and food becomes scarce, wildlife such as squirrels need a little extra help.

Residents had a brilliant time learning about red squirrels and conservation efforts to try to restore the red squirrel population, and painting squirrels in their arts and crafts session.