New Friendship Blooms Over Roses at North Devon Care Home

Family members (residents) from Edenmore Nursing Home recently enjoyed an outing to St. John’s Garden Centre in Ashford, with the trip ending in a new, blossoming friendship.

Lillian and Shirely, who live at Edenmore, were supported by team members Amber and Emma to take a little trip to the garden centre and peruse the plants, trinkets and clothing section.

The two ladies live on different floors (known as streets in the home) at Edenmore, as the home is organised into smaller households to support the different nursing and care needs of the people living there.

Although spending time in different streets for different activities or events is encouraged, some family members prefer to stay in their own households, so may not always socialise with people living in different parts of the home.

Outings like these give family members the chance to stay connected with the local community, while spending time with others who share their interests, much like heading out with a neighbour or friend when living at home.

The outing gave Lillian and Shirley the chance to bond over their interest in gardening, with both sharing a particular love for roses. They stopped to smell a few of the flowers and reminisced about the kinds of roses they had each had in their own gardens.

Team member Emma shared about the outing, ‘They were non-stop chatting away to one another throughout, asking one another's ages and where they used to live. It was so lovely to watch them natter about their lives.’

The team at the garden centre were very helpful and even allowed the ladies to pull up a few of the display chairs so they could all have a quick sit down and chat before setting off again to look around at the clothing section (at Lilians request!)

At the end of their outing, Shirley and Lillian arranged to meet in Lillian’s household, Torrs, the following day for coffee and a chat.

Emma added, ‘It was such a beautiful moment. They gave one another a kiss on the cheek and a cuddle and said how lovely it was to have made a new friend!’

The next morning, Shirley was supported upstairs at 11am as planned and the two spent a few hours chatting before sharing lunch together too.

Since then, they have also enjoyed a special afternoon tea prepared by the kitchen team in Shirley’s household, The Quays, where they discussed the possibility of living on the same street with the team! Something the home is now looking into. 

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

Celebrating Harry: A Special Birthday at North Devon Nursing Home

Family member (resident) Harry recently enjoyed a special birthday celebration at Edenmore Nursing Home.

Members of the team, and family members who wanted to join in, came together in one of the home’s lounges as ‘Happy Birthday’ began to play.

Behind Harry, a special birthday-themed message came up on the TV screen, organised earlier by the team! Everyone sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to him as he was presented with a cake made by the kitchen team and was supported to cut himself a birthday slice.

Harry pointed to Team member Arun, saying, ‘he is my best mate!’ While Colin said he was having a lovely time and his favourite part had been singing happy birthday to Harry.

Harry has lived at Edenmore since April last year. Described as ‘a proper London boy’ by his daughter, Harry was a chauffeur and worked for Rolls-Royce for a time. He has a real connection with cars and particularly loved polishing them and making sure they looked their best.

Today, as Harry moves along his dementia journey, his love for cars is still very important to him. A member of the team at Edenmore recently came across a car encyclopaedia and thought Harry might enjoy looking through it. On receiving the book, Harry slowly flicked through the pages, completely focused, and even stroked the steering wheel in one photo!

Harry’s daughter, Charmain, shared about her dad, ‘One thing that he’s always been almost obsessive about is making sure that he knows where his car keys are. And at Edenmore, he obviously hasn’t got a car, so the home manager’s husband made him a little set with a tag saying Harry’s keys. So he’s always got his keys in his pocket!’

Harry also worked in construction and labouring, and loves fixing things, so the home also got him a plastic toolbox set to tinker with around the home. He enjoys sitting and ‘fixing’ things, tapping the wall, and keeping his hands busy. These simple tools can offer him something familiar to do and can support a sense of purpose.

After everyone had a slice of cake, family members who wanted to were supported to the downstairs lounge for Chair Zumba. Harry particularly loves these sessions and enjoyed having a birthday boogie!

Home Manager Gayle shared about the day, ‘Harry is such a big part of our family here and adored by so many. It was such a lovely day with beautiful connections and so much laughter!’

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

Roberto's Chair Zumba Brings Joy to North Devon Care Home

Edenmore Nursing Home has been enjoying their Chair Zumba sessions from Robert ‘Roberto’ Campbell for a number of years now, with family members (residents) lighting up every time he walks through the door.

Roberto has been leading Zumba sessions for over 20 years, starting out by teaching people living with disabilities and church groups, where he saw first-hand the benefits of movement in combination with music. Believing people living in nursing and care homes could benefit from a similar approach, Roberto began taking his sessions into homes too.

Unlike a traditional Zumba class, where learning and following fixed routines may take centre stage, Roberto’s sessions at Edenmore use gentler movements and are shaped by the mood in the room, allowing him to adapt the pace and approach as he goes. They are more about supporting wellbeing with music and movement, rather than purely physical exercise.

Family members who choose to take part do so in their own way. Some tap their feet from their chairs or sit with their eyes closed, nodding along to the beat, while others sway hand-in-hand with someone beside them or get up on their feet. For many, music has the power to evoke positive and familiar feelings linked to their past, such as favourite songs from a happy time in their life.

Family members Harry, Diana, Carol and Anthony particularly love these afternoons. Although Anthony isn’t always able to dance up on his for feet for too long before getting tired, his feet start tapping and he starts singing as soon as he sees Roberto. Harry and Diana have a lovely dance together, talking and smiling at one another as they sway, holding each other’s hands.

One memorable afternoon, Carol decided to get up to stand at the front of the room and sing the song that was playing to everyone!

Sessions are held in one of the home’s lounges, with family members from Edenmore’s different households encouraged to come together and take part. The household model approach means people with similar care needs live in smaller communities within the wider home, while still having opportunities to spend time with people from other households.

Edenmore is also preparing to open its newest household, The Quays, which will welcome people who are self-funding.

Home Administrator Emma shared about these sessions, ‘Roberto is always so happy and vibrant. He doesn't just come in and put some music on. He is totally involved and talks to everyone, getting as many family members up dancing as he can. Even the team can’t resist joining in!’

Activities like these at Edenmore give family members different ways to spend an afternoon together and socialise, with the music and movement naturally prompting laughter, conversation and interaction.

 

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

International Food Tasting Event

Sundial Care Home near Sidmouth recently held its annual international food tasting event, with team members bringing in homemade dishes from around the world and from their own heritage to share with family members (residents) and the rest of the team.

The event is a chance to celebrate the different cultures through food within the residential care home, with everyone encouraged to taste something they may not have tried before. It also gives team members an opportunity to bring something personal from their own lives into the home, whether that is a favourite dish, a family recipe or food connected to their culture.

This year, the table was filled with chicken noodles, balti curry and rice, samosas and bhajis, followed by brownies and flapjacks. Rather than a usual lunchtime, plates and dishes were passed around the table for people to sample, with conversation naturally turning to the different flavours and ingredients.

There was also a homemade lassi made with yoghurt, mint, coriander and pepper, traditionally enjoyed after curry to refresh the palate. The drink proved particularly interesting for those tasting it for the first time and prompted plenty of discussion about what went into it and the different food traditions people had experienced over the years.

The international food tasting also reflects the wider community within Sundial, where people from different backgrounds spend their days together and get to know one another beyond their everyday routines. Bringing a dish from home is one small way for team members to share a part of who they are with the people they live and work alongside.

Regular events like this are an important part of the community at Sundial, bringing family members and team members together and strengthening the sense of belonging within the home.

If you would like to learn more about Sundial Care Home, please visit: https://www.sundialcare.com/activities-in-care/

Local Therapist Brings Mindfulness Through Art to Sundial Care Home

Painted pebbles, gold-leaf seashells and handmade surfboards have been taking shape at Sundial Care Home in Tipton St John, during a series of monthly Minds Matter art therapy sessions.

The sessions are led by local cognitive behavioural hypnotherapist Charlotte Allen, who primarily works with children but also brings her work into care home settings. Charlotte visits the residential care home near Sidmouth once a month with a different creative project for family members (residents) to try. Each session gives family members plenty of room to explore the materials in their own way, choosing the colours, shapes and designs that appeal to them without needing any previous art experience.

Recent sessions have followed a seaside theme, with family members decorating pebbles, making seaside pieces from air-dry clay and adding gold leaf to seashells. The finished pieces were then brought together in display frames, so each person’s creation became a part of something. Other sessions have included making glitter jars, which can be turned and watched as the glitter settles.

The creative sessions are as much about the process as the finished pieces, supporting fine motor skills, mindfulness and focus, while giving family members the opportunity to make their own creative choices and enjoy the social interaction that comes with making something together.

Charlotte Allen shared: “I try to make each session varied, interesting and easy for everyone to take part in. I enjoy seeing residents make their own choices about colours, shapes and designs, and the conversations that often come from a shared activity.”

Mindfulness can play a valuable part in supporting wellbeing within a care home. Moments that allow someone to feel settled and absorbed can ease restlessness and support emotional wellbeing, bringing a little more balance to the everyday.

The monthly sessions will continue at Sundial Care Home, with new materials and ideas giving family members something different to explore each time.

If you would like to learn more about Sundial Care Home, please visit: https://www.sundialcare.com/activities-in-care/

Aloha from North Devon! Heanton Nursing Home gets a Hawaiian makeover

Family members at Heanton Nursing Home went to bed in North Devon and woke up to a taste of Hawaii after the home’s night team spent the night transforming their surroundings for a surprise Hawaiian Day.

While family members (residents) slept, the night team decorated the different households within Heanton with tropical decorations, grass skirts and colourful table displays, ready for everyone to discover when they woke the following morning. The celebrations were inspired by Hawaii Statehood Day, which marks Hawaii becoming the 50th US state, but at Heanton it was also an opportunity to turn an ordinary summer day into something a little different.

Hawaiian shirts had been ordered for family members who chose to dress for the occasion, while a mocktail bar returned after proving particularly popular during a previous Hawaiian-themed day at the home. Relatives also came into Heanton especially to join in with the celebrations. Some family members already had exactly the right wardrobe for the occasion, with bright colours, bold florals and tropical prints appearing from their own wardrobes!

The team were very much part of the day too, with many ordering Hawaiian shirts of their own and competing for the title of Hawaiian King or Queen. Pineapples were awarded to those who had made the greatest effort, with winners chosen from different parts of the home as well as the night team.

Home Manager Abigail Denford said: “I think what made the day particularly lovely was that it started long before everyone woke up. Our night team wanted family members to have that surprise in the morning, so they spent the night putting up all the decorations and transforming the households for them.”

By the time the decorations eventually came down, Heanton may have looked a little less tropical, but the day had shown that creating moments together is not something reserved for particular hours. Whether it is morning, afternoon or the middle of the night, there is always life happening at Heanton.

For more information about life and activities at Heanton Nursing Home, please visit Activities in Care – Heanton Nursing Home