Activities at Oak Grange Care Home

Residents at Oak Grange care home, in Mollington near Chester have recently benefitted from the selfless efforts of two young volunteers who are participating in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.

Volunteers Alexandra & Isabella have brought so much positivity to the home by offering a befriending service, baking cakes in support of a fund raising event for the Alzheimer’s Society, performing for residents virtually by singing to everyone on Father’s day and hosting “Book Lovers Day” when they discussed the history of the day via Zoom engaging with residents all in collaboration with organiser Claudia Godinez-Bala, Activities Coordinator at Oak Grange.

Residents at Oak Grange Care Home revelled in all things sweet on World Chocolate Day with a range of chocolatey activities in July. Residents enjoyed "Guess the Chocolate Bar" and delicious strawberries drizzled with melted chocolate and a talk on the history of chocolate.  A fun day was had by all!

For some residents at Barchester Healthcare – Oak Grange Care Home in Mollington, the long awaited reunion with family and friends became a reality recently, as garden visits have now been allowed to commence at the home.  

There has been much careful planning and preparation for this moment behind the scenes at Barchester Healthcare, who run Oak Grange care home. Social distancing was still in place, and homes that are able to take part must have a large accessible garden.   It was welcome news to so many residents, family, and friends, who were kept apart for so long following strict government guidance. Residents and their loved ones got together in the home garden and the garden was fully of joy and chatter.

Elizabeth Chisholm, resident at Oak Grange said: “The staff here have been so wonderful and generous with their time, keeping us busy and entertained, especially showing us how to use video calls, but nothing beats seeing my family in real life. This was a special moment, and I was over the moon.”

Residents at Oak Grange enjoyed a day of fun filled activities and a special lunch in celebration of Father’s Day.

Karen Fitzpatrick General Manager of the home, said: “We’ve all had a wonderful day today, and involving the families of our residents makes Father’s Day even more special. Using safe and effective communication, like video calling, allows our residents to stay in touch with family and friends. It’s important that we all feel connected right now, and we are continually adapting, and finding new ways to make sure every effort is focused on creating an enjoyable environment for all of our residents, whilst adhering to social distancing advice.”

Oak Grange held a day of celebrations to thank care staff at the home, who make a real difference to the lives of those in their care.  Carers Week is an annual event to raise awareness of caring, highlighting the challenges carers face, and recognising the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK, which now, is more important than ever. Carers have a vital job in the care of residents throughout the home, and form very special bonds with the people they look after. They are the day-to-day face of our home, working directly with residents and families to ensure the very best quality care and support is given.

Karen Fitzpatrick General Manager said: “I am very proud of the carers at Oak Grange in light of the current situation our carers have continued to work tirelessly to provide high quality, personalised care to the people living in our homes, and often go above and beyond the call of duty, which has a huge impact on people’s lives. They offer friendship and comfort to residents and their relatives, during what can be a very emotional time. We appreciate the work they do all year round, and especially in these unprecedented times”.

As the Queen celebrated her second, and official birthday residents of Oak Grange joined in the fun too!  This year there was an extra incentive to join in the festivities at Oak Grange as residents were asked to design a birthday cake in honour of Her Majesty’s birthday as part of a Barchester Healthcare competition.

Residents were also treated to royal themed day and refreshments throughout, prepared by the hospitality team. The Queen’s birthday was marked with a small celebration at Windsor Castle, where the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are staying in isolation. Residents tuned in to watch a Royal Salute from the military, lead by The Welsh Guard and massed Bands of the Household Division, which replaced the Trooping the Colour after it was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.