Activities at Waterside Court Care Home

Residents and staff at Waterside Court would like to say a huge thank you to Chelsea-based florists, Blooming Haus, for a wonderful live floristry demonstration.

We all had a wonderful time decorating and working on our arrangement and we are happy to say we were impressed with our skills in applying all the tips and ideas learnt during the class to make a colourful floral design.

We are also excited to enter the #BloomingBarchester competition following this amazing, virtual flower-arranging masterclass.

Michal Kowalski, Master Florist from Blooming Haus said; “The care sector has endured such a tough time of late, residents unable to see their loved ones, and carers working extremely hard.  So we leapt at the chance when Barchester approached us to stage a zoom flower arranging class. It’s a great opportunity for Blooming Haus to give something back, and we hope we provided some light recreational relief to the residents and care workers.  Besides shop bought flowers, we encouraged participants to use materials and foliage from the garden. We take a lot of our inspiration from nature and like nothing more than foraging around woodlands on a Sunday afternoon, we believe it assists us with the floral artistry we create.”

All of our displays contained foliage from our stunning gardens, along with some flowers purchased from Waitrose in Wallingford, who kindly offered us a discount to help with our display.

Residents and staff at Waterside Court had a lovely morning celebrating World Bee Day with bee-themed activities to commemorate the most important pollinator in the world.

Residents were treated to healthy tasting pots that included a delicious variety of fruit, honey-coated sesame seeds and a selection of different honeys. Whilst enjoying this tasty array of treats, we also discussed how bees positively impact our plants and flowers, which then led to some wonderful discussions around gardening.

Activity Coordinator, May Kidner, said: “It’s always nice to see residents positively engaging with activities. The tasting pots encouraged residents to explore lots of different tastes and textures and the conversations around bees and gardening provided lots of social stimulation.”

Staff and residents at Waterside Court were treated to a photographic tour and talk about the era of ocean travel by V&A Dundee Curator, Charlotte Hale. The presentation forms part of a series of six talks and virtual tours that V&A Dundee is hosting for Barchester Healthcare’s care homes and private hospitals across the UK.

V&A Dundee is Scotland’s design museum, it showcases Scotland’s outstanding design achievements and features world-class exhibitions alongside the permanent Scottish Design Galleries, and a changing programme of commissions, events and activities.  

Charlotte’s presentation took residents on a journey through V&A Dundee’s inaugural exhibition Ocean Liners: Speed and Style. Though the golden age of ocean travel has long since passed, the ocean liner still remains a potent symbol of 20th century modernity. The talk explored the romantic and remarkable age of ocean travel through the design stories of the Titanic, Normandie, the Queen Mary and the Canberra, from their engineering and interior design to the creation of an aspirational lifestyle and the stunning fashions worn on board.

Charlotte said: “I am delighted to be able to share this exhibition with Barchester’s residents.  The era of ocean travel is such an important slice of our history, the world will never see the like of these ships again.  It is wonderful to be able to pass on the stories of how the ships were designed and what life was like on board".

To really complete the experience, residents were able to put their feet up as they watched this virtual voyage in one of our comfortable lounges. There was, of course, afternoon tea and home-made cake served too!

A common question people ask when looking at care for a loved one is whether alcohol is allowed in the home. The answer is: "Absolutely".

If mum/dad enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or a sherry in the evening, that preference doesn't need to change. Waterside Court offer person-centred care, which means that individuals’ likes and dislikes are taken into account and maintained when they move in. This includes meal and drink preferences, activities, daily routines and every other aspect of their life.

The weather might not be behaving itself, but that hasn't stopped residents at Waterside Court from planting seeds for our lovely new garden.

Planting seeds is a great way to keep our green-fingered residents engaged and motivated. It's also a wonderful way of keeping social and motor skills active.

We had a great time with our Meet the Manager event. General Manager, Roxana Moldovan, and her team were on hand to talk to families about a possible move into care. We understand how big of a decision it is, so we are always happy to offer help and support to those who need it.

Roxana said: "There are a lot of things to consider when choosing a care home for someone you love. The decision has only been made harder with the pandemic, so my team and I are more than happy to help with any questions or talk through the different options that are available and best for you. Meet the Manager events are lovely opportunities to be able to do this, but we do also offer show rounds on a 1:1 basis."

If you have a question about a move into care, or know of anyone who needs support, please get in touch with us on 01491 821 080.