Aloha Ilfracombe! Edenmore Brings Hawaii to North Devon

Edenmore Nursing Home recently transformed its garden area for their Hawaiian-themed ‘Aloha’ party.

Balloons, banners, paper fans and tropical hanging decorations were strung through the trees and along the fence, while the home’s new garden furniture arrived just in the nick of time! A Tiki mocktail bar was set up alongside a photo booth, complete with inflatable props and blow-up musical instruments.

Family members who chose to join the party were encouraged to wear something bright or add a Hawaiian lei, while team members got into the theme with Hawaiian shirts and holiday wear.

Almost all of the home’s family members chose to spend some time in the garden, including people who often prefer their own space or usually receive their care in their rooms. Some preferred just to stay for ten or twenty minutes before returning to their household or bedroom, while others settled in for longer. A number of relatives also came along for the afternoon.

Edenmore is made up of separate households, allowing people with similar care needs to live together in smaller communities within the home. It is currently preparing to open its newest household, The Quays, which will welcome people who are self-funding.

Head Chef Mike took charge of the barbecue, serving burgers, sausages and skewers, followed by puddings including large trifles and ice cream.

Sydney, the Home Manager’s grandson, proudly took charge of the Tiki bar. He followed the mocktail menu, added ice, shook the drinks and made his way around the garden asking family members and relatives what they would like. Family member Diana was particularly taken with the mocktails, and when Sidney returned to ask whether she would like another, her answer was a definite, ‘Well, yes!’

There were a number of games throughout the afternoon and plenty of photos taken in the photo booth before Roberto, who regularly visits the home for Chair Zumba sessions, joined the party with music and singing. Hands and feet soon began tapping along to the beat, with Diana and Harry, who particularly love music, getting up to dance.

Home Manager Gayle shared about the day, ‘There were just so many lovely moments. At one point Harry and Brian each picked up one of the blow-up instruments and began to ‘play’ beside each other. I said to Emma [Home Administrator], “Just look.” They had simply picked them up themselves and started playing together.’

Events like these at Edenmore give family members plenty of different ways to spend an afternoon together and socialise, whether that means sitting down to some good food, listening to music, joining in with a game or simply enjoying the atmosphere. For some, it might just be ten minutes outside with an ice cream, a little sunshine and a change of scenery.

Edenmore Nursing Home offers 24-hour nursing and residential care by the North Devon coast. To learn more about life at Edenmore, visit www.edenmorenursinghome.com

Heanton Nursing Home Team Skydives to Raise for Dementia UK

A team of colleagues from Heanton Nursing Home have raised an incredible £4,502 for Dementia UK after taking on a charity skydive.

Months of planning, fundraising and community support led to the unforgettable challenge, which saw 11 participants jump from 15,000 feet, around 2.3 miles above the ground, freefalling at speeds of approximately 125mph before descending under parachute to the ground.

Representing Heanton were, care assistants Helen Barr, Shaju Manikuzil, Nihal Kadannalott, Anitha Ramannagari and Harpreet Bansal. Care practitioner Ella O’Connor and house lead Sivi Vargheese, who were joined by family and friends to complete the skydive.

For Helen Barr, who organised the fundraiser, the challenge carried an especially personal meaning as it was completed in memory of her father, who lived with vascular dementia.

Helen said: “This was about so much more than doing a skydive. I wanted to raise money for Dementia UK, but we also wanted to do something in memory of my dad. It was an emotional day, and during the jump I felt especially close to him. Watching everyone overcome their fears and achieve something they never thought possible, made me incredibly proud. There were so many hugs, happy tears and so much team spirit when we were all safely back on the ground.”

Among those taking part was Paul Mantle, a close family friend of Helen’s who has partial sight in one eye. Determined to complete the challenge, Paul raised more than £1,000 with the support of The Castle Inn in Landkey, which organised a quiz night and received fantastic backing from its customers and the local community.

The fundraising effort extended far beyond those making the jump. Relatives of family members living at, or who had previously lived at the home gave generously in support of the fundraiser.

For the team, those donations were especially meaningful. The continued support from families whose loved ones remain part of daily life at Heanton alongside those who continue to feel connected to the home after their loved one has sadly passed away, reflects the lasting relationships built between the home, its team and the families it supports.

The team also received a donation from Evolve Care Group, the family-owned care group that includes Heanton Nursing Home, helping the group reach its final fundraising total.

 Helen said the generosity shown throughout the campaign had been overwhelming.

“It took a lot of planning to make this happen, but every donation, every message of encouragement and everyone who supported us made it all worthwhile. One in nine people will develop dementia, so raising money for Dementia UK is something that means a great deal to us. To be able to do that alongside such an amazing group of colleagues, family and friends, is something I’ll never forget.”

The fundraiser is another example of the close-knit community that surrounds Heanton Nursing Home, where team members, family and relatives regularly come together to support one another, both inside and outside the home

 

To learn more about working with Heanton Nursing Home, or to begin your own journey in care, please visit Devon Nursing Home – Join our Team – Heanton Nursing Home

Creative Mojo Workshops Flourish at Nursing Home near Okehampton

Family members (residents) at Hatherleigh Nursing Home near Okehampton, Devon have been enjoying regular Creative Mojo sessions, where art provides opportunities for self-expression, conversation and shared experiences.

Led by Devon-based creative arts facilitator and artist Sandra Caldeira-Dunkerley, the sessions explore a range of techniques including painting, collage, printing and mark-making. Inspired by nature and the local community where many of the nursing home's family members come from, each workshop encourages everyone to take part in a relaxed and supportive environment.

The sessions have become a popular part of life at the West Devon Nursing Home, bringing people together from different households across the home and even relatives through shared creativity. As Hatherleigh Nursing Home supports a variety of people such as those living with a Dementia or complex needs, each session is thoughtfully adapted to the individual, ensuring everyone feels welcomed, encouraged and able to take part in a way that suits them.

Sandra shared: "Creative Mojo is about so much more than making art. It's about creating a space where people feel comfortable to explore, connect with one another and enjoy the process of being creative. Seeing people grow in confidence, share conversations and take pride in what they've created is always incredibly rewarding."

The home, which offers 24-hour nursing care, residential care, respite care and complex care, continues to support the people who live there through personalised activities, opportunities for social interaction, meaningful experiences and celebrations that create a true home-from-home environment while promoting a continuation of life.

 

If you would like to learn more about Hatherleigh Nursing Home, please visit: https://www.hatherleighnursinghome.com/lifes-journey-continued-2/

Evolve Care Group Explores Creative Ways to Create Connection in Dementia Care

Evolve Care Group recently welcomed team members from across its homes and Central Support office to their Evolve Care Academy in Bristol for training sessions exploring how meaningful connections can be built with people living with a Dementia and other cognitive conditions.

The sessions, titled Seen, Heard, Valued, form part of Evolve’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that everyone, regardless of their role, develops an understanding of the people living within their homes and the approaches used to support them.

Team members working across care, kitchen, domestic, maintenance, administration and Central Support regularly attend training at the Evolve Care Academy, recognising that everyone contributes to the environment that family members (residents) call home.

Communications Assistant Ayla Melville attended one of the recent sessions to gain a deeper understanding of the principles that underpin Evolve’s approach to care.

Throughout the day, attendees took part in practical exercises designed to encourage them to think differently about communication and connection, particularly when supporting people who may find it difficult to express themselves.

The session also explored how cognitive conditions and Dementias can affect communication, memory, decision making and emotional regulation.

Clinical Head Eve Carder explained that asking multiple direct questions to some people can sometimes leave them feeling confused or overwhelmed, making it more difficult for them to engage. Instead, the training encouraged attendees to find creative ways to "change the moment", adapting their approach to build trust and meaningful connection.

Reflecting on the experience, Ayla explained that hearing real experiences shared by team members helped bring the learning to life and provided valuable context for the stories she tells through her communications role.

The Seen, Heard, Valued sessions are one of many courses delivered through the Evolve Care Academy, which provides ongoing online and in-person learning and development for team members across Evolve Care Group.

To read Ayla's full account of the training experience, visit:

Changing the Moment to Create Connection.

For more information about the learning and development delivered by Evolve Care Academy, visit https://www.evolvecareacademy.com/

Pam’s World: Entering Altered Reality. An Insight from Edenmore Nursing Home

Understanding how to support someone living with a Dementia is not always straightforward. As memories disappear, the way a person experiences the world can shift, and what feels real to them may not match the present moment. This means we are sometimes navigating a reality that is different from our own.

This piece shares an insight into how care teams respond in those moments, focusing on something known as therapeutic lying, and why it can sometimes be the kindest approach. Through Pam’s story, we explore what it means to step into someone else’s reality to help them feel safe, understood and at ease, and why insisting on the ‘truth’ can sometimes cause unnecessary distress, rather than comfort.

Therapeutic Lies in Practice

A therapeutic lie is a thoughtful, compassionate response used to reduce anxiety and meet someone in their current reality. If a person asks for their mother, father or loved one, forgetting that they are no longer with us, correcting them may re-open grief or make the loss feel as though it is happening for the first time.

Softly reassuring them that their loved one has popped out to the shops can provide comfort and emotional safety. Alternatively, gentle redirection of the conversation, or asking if they would like to go for a walk, can help them focus on something else and reduce anxiety.

Rather than focusing on factual accuracy, therapeutic lying is about protecting someone’s emotional world. By not correcting or challenging their reality, we can reduce feelings of confusion or distress. Instead, we meet them where they are, offering reassurance and support so they can feel safe and understood.

Pam, 80 years young and living at Edenmore for just over four years, has a learning disability and lives with a Dementia. For her, comfort comes from a place that might surprise others but makes perfect sense within her world.

Reassurance, connection and touch are deeply important to Pam. She is soothed by holding hands and becomes anxious if she does not feel close to someone. When she feels overwhelmed, lying down with her favourite soft toys, especially Tony the squirrel, helps her settle.

When Pam was very young, she won Tony in a lucky dip, a story that she shares often with those around her. He has stayed with her ever since, becoming something she is deeply attached to. To Pam, Tony is not simply a soft toy, but an incredibly real and important relationship in her life.

For someone living with a Dementia, objects, people or routines may take on a strong emotional meaning, and these attachments can bring a sense of reassurance and familiarity.

Tony also plays an important role in supporting Pam’s health. If she does not feel like eating, the team will offer a little food to Tony first, which can often encourage her. If she doesn’t want to drink water, they will try pouring it into her small doll’s tea set and offer it to Tony, which can also gently prompt her to drink. These routines have been created by the team and come from their understanding of Pam’s history and what is most important to her.

When Tony’s stuffing began to come out, and his ears and arms became worn, there was a concern that losing him could cause Pam real upset. Clinical Lead Teresa, who enjoys sewing, took him home and carefully stitched new ears and arms onto him. Tony was returned safely to Pam, restored and whole, preserving not just a soft toy, but a source of comfort and continuity in her day-to-day life.

For people who may not understand how important this relationship is to Pam, it may seem like the right thing to do to tell her Tony is ‘not real’ and try to correct her perspective. But by recognising how important Tony is to Pam, and respecting that her connection to him is a very real relationship in her world, the team help her to feel safe and secure, rather than causing confusion and upsetting the way she understands and experiences things around her.

Is it Right to Lie?

There is not always a simple answer when it comes to whether telling the truth or offering a therapeutic lie is the ‘right’ thing to do. There are moments that ask us to consider what will best support someone’s wellbeing and the focus shifts from being right, to being kind.

Therapeutic lies, when used thoughtfully and responsibly, are acts of care. They allow people like Pam to feel safe, valued and emotionally held in a world that no longer behaves as it once did - recognising that, in moments of confusion, Pam’s version of the truth is the one that matters most.

Edenmore Nursing Home provides 24-hour nursing and residential care, supporting each person to continue living a life that feels meaningful and true to who they are.