Activities at Westwood House Care Home
As Activity Coordinator at Westwood House I am fully committed to organising activities for all of the residents. This includes activities within the home such as reminiscence sessions, and planning events such as the Summer and Christmas parties. We have also provided some very successful trips out to local places of interest in our minibus and have monthly visits from entertainers and musicians. We are always encouraging local schools to get involved and have recently managed to get a local charity 'Spare tyre' working with us very successfully.
It is important to me that each individual who we support can get as much from these as possible, so we try our best to arrange activities that reflect their interests and capabilities as best as possible, and encourage them to participate in any way they can. We also encourage relatives to join with activities and events as often as they can.
Liz Wickers
My name is Liz and I am the lifestyle coordinator at Westwood House. I have always lived and worked in Southwark and Lambeth boroughs. I spent 25 years within the education sector before deciding to try new roles. As well as teaching I have also had the privilege of being a personal carer in Dementia. I am so happy that I have been welcomed into the Westwood House family where I can continue to grow and develop.
I aim to offer a range of varied and tailored activities and group sessions that are meaningful to each of them. I am thrilled to be supporting the team in delivering fun, engaging and interesting activities for our residents.
I look forward to meeting you all!
Read our brochure 'Life-enriching activities' for more information about life in our care homes.
Read our brochure
Activities and Events Partnerships
As part of our bespoke life-enrichment programmes, we host a number of live virtual events in the home on a regular basis through a number of partnerships with places of interest and world class performance companies
Life at Westwood House Care Home
Summer BBQ
Tropic like it’s hot! Westwood house summer party with entertainment from our residents favourite singer Debbie Haze!
Jubilee Celebrations
On the 2nd at our jubilee party residents, staff and relatives enjoyed a picnic style lunch with Pimms to commemorate the Queens 70 years on the throne. This was the first time since covid we were able to invite relatives in for an event. We also were delighted to have the fabulous Debbie Haze singing all of the classic sing-alongs including Sweet Caroline and we’ll meet again which was enjoyed immensely by everyone.
Motiview Bikes
We were lucky enough to have this new technology donated by Motiview from the National Lottery.
By using an exercise bike, video and sound, the users can take cycle trips through familiar surroundings and childhood memories. This stimulates older people and people with dementia to be more physically and cognitively active.
Thank you so much for the donation.
English National Ballet
Westwood House are receiving specialist training as part of English National Ballet’s Dance for Dementia initiative. Staff at the home have been specially selected to receive training and to attend interactive sessions led by English National Ballet Associate Dance Artists and Musicians in order that they can help lead dance and music-inspired workshops for their residents. Dancing and creative arts and music interventions engages the brain and can help with symptoms associated with dementia such as memory loss, communication, and physical coordination. Sessions foster creativity and can help improve symptoms as well as providing artistic stimulation and social interaction.
Staff from the home were invited to the Mulryan Centre for Dance, English National Ballet’s headquarters at London City Island to receive their training, working with the company’s Associate Dance Artists and Musicians. Since then, 4 online workshops have taken place with ENB artists delivering direct from the studio, via zoom into Westwood House. Staff who attended the CPD training are present during the sessions assisting the residents and putting into practice what they have learned so far. A 12-week in-person workshop programme will begin in January 2022.
In addition, all of Barchester’s care homes have been invited to join in with a number of virtual event sessions which include taking part in creative dance classes and hearing from ENB’s Philharmonic Orchestra, costume department and other artists in the company. The virtual sessions coincide with days of celebration, the next one being a Nutcracker-inspired Christmas Special.
Stella Bernatek, General Manager for Westwood House commented: “Our staff and residents are having the most wonderful time working with English National Ballet on this fantastic initiative. Dance and music are so evocative and powerful, especially for our residents living with dementia, it transports them to a different place and time and connects them with their memories. Everyone is finding it so beneficial and we cannot thank English National Ballet enough.
Horniman Museum
The Horniman Museum comes to Westwood House.
Film Club
Everyone really enjoyed our most recent film club.
