Activities at Red Oaks Care Home

Red oaks is currently welcoming new residents in both their nursing and dementia care communities.

Visiting in the garden commenced this week with fantastic success, reuniting families has seen smiles all round in our wonderful 3 acres of garden.

With a colourful decorated shelter for the residents to have the socially distanced visit and enjoy the wonderful setting of the garden families took lots of photos and selfies of the occasion

.National Cupcake Day has been a real treat at Red Oaks in Henfield where sweet-toothed staff and residents got out their aprons and mixing bowls to raising £225 for the Alzheimer’s Society and delivering homemade cupcakes to local residents isolating via the Henfield helpline at the Haven.

Baking is a much-loved hobby for many people who live and work at Red Oaks. The team used the occasion to host a competition staff judged by our pastry chef. Relatives and friends joined us by baking at home and entered into our virtual cupcake competition by sending in pictures of the cupcakes that they made.

Our chef made some homemade cupcakes and Red Oaks delivered these to the Henfield Haven which were distributed in the community for those that are isolating in Henfield.

Staff and residents at Red Oaks care home in Henfield, showed support of Mental Health Awareness week 2020, spreading some positivity and joy.

Running from 18th - 24th May, Mental Health Awareness Week encourages us to start conversations around mental health, sharing our experiences and stories, promoting an overall healthier understanding of mental health issues, especially at this uncertain time.

Throughout the week, Red Oaks residents and staff supported the initiative by taking advantage of the sunny weather planting pots and flower displays in our courtyard, after all the planting was completed everyone was treated to tea and crumpets outside to admire the newly planted areas.

 Linda Ryan, General Manager at the home, said: The mental health benefits of gardening are extensive. Not only can regular gardening reduce mental health problems like depression and anxiety, but it can also reduce stress and combat high blood pressure, as well as improving overall physical fitness

Residents are really enjoying being outside in the fresh air walking in our large gardens and spending time seeing the flowers coming into bloom’.

Harry a resident at Red Oaks, ‘Planting flowers and being in the garden is a great way to have fresh air, I like to see all the flowers grow’.

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Staff at Red Oaks had a surprise parcel from a member of the Henfield under-8’s football team bearing gifts.

7 year old Ewan and his mum came to Red Oaks with a big box of quality hand creams for the staff at Red Oaks. The attached letter stated: “The team wanted to say a huge thank you for all the amazing work you always do at the care home, but particularly what you have been doing to support people during these challenging times. We understand that your hands are getting very dry and sore from using lots of hand sanitiser, so we hope that these hand creams help.”

In these unprecedented times, it is very touching that community groups are thinking about the NHS and the social care sector and being so generous in support.

Red Oaks held an event to celebrate International Nurses’ Day in support of its nurses and care staff, who make a real difference to the lives of those in their care.

Nurses’ Day is a chance to recognise and reward the important work and dedication of nurses everywhere, who often go above and beyond the call of duty. It was great to be able to welcome our two nurses who have just joined the team here at Red Oaks.

Residents and staff at Red Oaks care home, in Henfield, West Sussex, laced up their trainers and warmed-up for their Marathon around Red Oaks Gardens.

Due to the current limitations within Red Oaks Care Home it was decided that the residents and staff would do a full length marathon around the grounds of Red Oaks. The grounds were measured and it was calculated that we needed to complete 256 laps of the Red Oaks gardens to complete the 26.2 miles designated as a full marathon. Over a seven day period residents and staff went around the garden respecting social distancing to finish the marathon.

General Manager Linda Ryan said: “We always encourage our residents to keep active. With summer on the way we had a great opportunity to move our activities outside to make the most of the weather. Our residents and staff really enjoyed the week and it was lovely to see so many of them getting involved.”

One of the residents a resident at Red Oaks Care Home said “As a child I used to love taking part in running races and taking part in the Red Oaks marathon reminds me of those days.”