Activities at Red Oaks Care Home

This National Carers Week, we would like to say a huge thank you to all of our amazing care home carers. 

Your compassion, patience, dedication, and kindness make such a difference every single day. From the smallest comforting gesture to going above and beyond for our residents and their families, your care never goes unnoticed.

You are the heart of our home, and we are incredibly grateful for everything you do to bring dignity, happiness, and support to those in your care.

Thank you for your hard work, commitment, and the smiles you bring each day.                 

A big congratulations to Sue, Red Oaks' activity lead, who passed her Community Activator Coach apprenticeship with flying colours, gaining a distinction in all 3 aspects. 

With some fantastic feedback providing excellent context around the programme, robust examples of how to adapt approaches to support harder-to-reach participants. Showing initiative with meaningful impact in building health, wellbeing and social connections.

An outing to the local village pub in Henfield is a trip enjoyed by residents initiated by request of residents resulted in the sharing of fond memories and connecting with the wider community.

Presenting the opportunity for residents to enhance social and emotional wellbeing in a relaxed environment it encouraged the group to bond and strengthen relationships outside of Red Oaks. There was much laughter and engagement with the local community enhancing quality of life.

These regular pub outings promote social inclusion, emotional wellbeing, independence and contributes positively to residents overall happiness and sense of fulfilment. 

Easter saw a unique experience at Red Oaks of hatching ducklings, it was an unforgettable experience that melted the hearts of residents, visitors and staff. The experience started with the eggs in the incubator, the excitement built as cracks appeared in each egg and the ducklings over the period of a few days started to emerge. Very quickly they became the talk of the home with everyone watching them grow into mischievous balls of fluff!

Watching the ducklings take there first swim in the paddling pool we watch them go from tentatively exploring the water to very quickly and confidently diving and whizzing about.

We were sad to say goodbye to the ducklings, they had a positive impact on all but we were happy to know that they were off to their forever home in a large open space with plenty of water to swim in.

A wet Red Oaks always enjoy taking part in our Art Club each week, on alternate weeks we are joined by local school children sharing our love for painting. 

There are many positive well being effects of painting from reducing anxiety to enhance motor skills with the exercising of hands and arms improving muscle coordination, building dexterity and enhancing blood flow.

Residents at Red Oaks particularly enjoy painting flowers and landscapes. There is always a selection of art work proudly on display outside reception.

The weekly art club has been flourishing with residents utilising it indoors and outdoors to create personal projects. The club creates conversation and confidence where residents continue to enjoy and share their talents. 

From painting and drawing, the use of different mediums used is always a personal preference. This month the concentration has been flowers.       

Red Oaks marked the 81st anniversary of Victory in Europe Day in style by throwing a 1940s afternoon tea party to remember.  The home was decorated in red, white and blue and residents and staff dressed up in their 1940s-inspired glad rags and enjoyed an afternoon of big band music and dancing.

Head chef Carlos whipped up a delicious fish-and-chip lunch and celebratory cake served in boxes for a wonderful community street party, all washed down with pots of tea and a celebratory glass of wine to mark the occasion.  

Residents observed the national two-minute silence and reminisced about their memories of VE Day. The community choir led everyone in singing familiar wartime favourites, creating a fantastic atmosphere of unity and joy. Entertainment, singing and dancing ended the celebrations as timeless classics were enjoyed by all.         

Each week Red Oaks holds a community choir which is led by Music Therapist Kylie. It brings together music, memories and social connection in an inclusive and enjoyable session. The session is fun with popular songs that are easy to sing, with large print lyrics and requests from the group are always welcome.

Singing always lifts our mood reducing any stresses and creates a sense of joy in the home. Residents in enjoy the Henfield community joining us alongside family members creating meaningful shared experiences with the local community.

Friday is always looked forward to see friends that have been made, singing together and a good natter over tea and cake afterwards to catch up on the events that have happened over the week.

Residents and staff at Barchester’s Red Oaks care home, in Henfield, celebrated Harvest Festival led by Rev. Andrew Lawton of the Henfield Evangelical Free Church.

Residents at Red Oaks enjoyed attending the service with friends and family.  The home produced a wonderful display of bread, baked by the senior head chef Leigh Clifford. This enabled residents to continue the tradition of taking a loaf of bread to a church service for harvest festival to celebrate the reaping of the crops.

Each year, our residents look forward to the Harvest Festival church service and to giving thanks. Our residents enjoy being able to carry on traditions and presenting bread to the church as a thanks to god.

Everyone was excited for our first trip out in Red Oaks new mini bus having said goodbye and thank you for the wonderful outings in our old minibus we took delivery of brand new one.

For our first trip we visited a firm favourite of ours Camelia Botnar Garden-Centre it was fantastic to see all the changes in the seasonal plants and flowers, shopping for our Autumnal display and stop in their cafe for tea and cake. 

Our weekly outings are popular with all, changing destinations each week with requests taken from residents.

An amazing weekend was enjoyed at the Henfield Garden and Arts Festival with a full programme of live music and more than 25 art and craft stalls on display throughout the weekend.

Residents, family members and friends all came together to enjoy the event, soaking up the wonderful atmosphere and exploring the beautiful gardens at Red Oaks. Visitors travelled from far and wide to be part of the celebrations, making the weekend a huge success for everyone involved.

The festival ended on a high with a lively band performance, as residents and guests danced the evening away and created many special memories together.    

Coinciding with the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, residents and staff were happy to get involved by hosting a much-deserved Nurses Day celebration party. Celebrating nurses both present and past, including residents who had careers in nursing.

International Nurses’ Day is a day to give thanks for the dedication of caregivers everywhere, who go above and beyond the call of duty to deliver extraordinary care and support. This dedication is still seen today by residents who had a nursing career. Their caring nature always shines through.

Sue, who lives at Red Oaks, said she spoke with everyone about her career : I started my nursing career in the 1970s and have always felt privileged to work in a profession that I truly enjoyed, especially later when I went on to run my own care home business.

What makes me proud to be a nurse is simply being able to care for others and make a difference in people’s lives. During my career, particularly throughout the 1990s, I became an established figure within the care sector. I was involved with the East Sussex National Care Association and helped contribute to shaping the care industry as we know it today.         

With the large garden at Red Oaks resident the gardening club have been busy sprucing up the courtyard, planting, tidying ready for the burst of colour that they will have in the coming weeks. Working as a team it was wonderful to see everyone taking pride and creating a beautiful welcoming  environment bring the courtyard to life.

Gardening is an activity that many of our residents enjoy, adapting to people’s abilities, it plays a meaningful role in supporting physical and  emotional wellbeing. Being surrounded by nature, plants, fresh air and natural light boost mood  and create a sense of calm. For many residents gardening offers a sense of purpose and achievement seeing the plants grow and thrive under their care.

Each year St Barnabas house is the hospice for the Henfield area. They support the local community, people with life-limiting illnesses and their loved ones. Care extends beyond the hospice and the team at St Barnabas support the community and us here at Red Oaks.

Wanting to say a huge thank and give something back to this worthy charity staff took park in the hospice's annual 'A night to Remember' walk a 7.5 mile night time walk around Worthing.

The Red Oaks team was led by our palliative care champions at Red Virginia and Sorina who bring there own expertise and knowledge at the home to residents and family members.

Thank to all the residents, family, friends and staff who joined us for this fantastic morning raising over £100 for this amazing cause. 

Our cupcake competition is always a firm favourite with staff. This year judged by Linda and Gabriel congratulations went to Louise for the best looking and Kelly for the best tasting cupcakes. 

MacMillan Cancer Support raises money to provide vital cancer services, supports research and campaigns to achieve better cancer care and support the cancer workforce.