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

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/

Photography, Identity and Complex Care at Heanton Nursing Home

Some people spend their lives searching for ordinary comforts like a favourite song on the radio, the warmth of a cup of tea or the sight of birds in the garden. Others spend their lives searching for the edge of the world.

Martin Baker was always drawn towards the latter.

Long before Martin moved into Heanton Nursing Home, he travelled across some of the world's most amazing places. Antarctica. Namibia. Morocco. India. The Arctic. Places filled with extraordinary wildlife, cultures and landscapes that few people ever witness with their own eyes.

His camera became more than something to take photographs with. It became how he understood the world around him.

Growing up, Martin developed a resilience that would shape the rest of his life. Diagnosed with diabetes at just nine years old, he faced challenges from an early age, yet those closest to him remember someone who persevered through almost everything life placed in front of him.

His family still affectionately describe him as a "daredevil". One of his favourite photographs captures a rhino charging directly towards him, while another unforgettable adventure took him aboard an icebreaker in Antarctica, where he spent three weeks camping in freezing conditions and travelling through waves reaching twenty feet high. While many around him became seasick, Martin somehow remained completely unaffected.

Even a serious car accident caused by a diabetic hypo became, in Martin's telling, another remarkable story. After crashing upside down into a tree, he walked away physically unharmed, something he still speaks about with pride.

Yet alongside his adventurous spirit there has always been sensitivity too. Despite being a smoker, Martin stopped smoking completely throughout his time in Antarctica because he did not want to pollute the untouched environment he had travelled so far to experience.

Today, Martin lives at Heanton Nursing Home with bipolar disorder and changing cognitive needs. There are moments when frustration can rise if he loses the words he wants to say, but the team understand that these moments are not something to correct. They are often an expression of emotion, confusion or the distress of losing hold of a thought that mattered.

Rather than drawing attention to what Martin cannot remember, conversations are gently guided back towards the parts of his life that continue to bring him confidence.

Today, his photographs from those journeys cover the walls of his room. Wildlife frozen in single moments of intensity. Memories captured from a life lived with enormous curiosity and determination.

When the team sit with Martin and begin talking about his photography, they often notice an immediate change in him.

"You can see him light up," one member of the team shared.

Alongside those conversations are the familiar comforts that make each day his own: a strong coffee in the morning, cigarettes throughout the day, naps whenever he feels tired and time spent walking around the home chatting with those around him. There is no expectation for Martin to fit into somebody else's routine.

At Heanton Nursing Home, complex care is about understanding the person behind the diagnosis. It is about recognising what brings comfort, confidence and connection, while protecting the identity that has been built over a lifetime.

For Martin, that identity still lives in the stories of his travels, the extraordinary wildlife he photographed and the adventures that continue to shape the conversations he enjoys today.

To read the whole story:  Photography, Identity and Complex Care at Heanton Nursing Home - Heanton Nursing Home

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.

 

Chair Zumba Brings Connection at Heanton Nursing Home

Music drifts through the room most weeks at Heanton Nursing Home, where regular entertainer Robert “Roberto” Campbell leads chair-based Zumba sessions with residents (who the home fondly refers to as family members).

With more than 20 years’ experience, Roberto’s sessions are gentle and led by the mood of the room rather than routines, some people join straight in, others sit quietly nearby, tapping a hand on the arm of a chair or singing a few words when a familiar song comes on.

“It’s never been about getting people to follow steps,” Home Manager Abigail Denford said. “It’s about what the music brings out in someone.”

For many, music can also reconnect people with parts of their identity. Songs linked to earlier life and the simple act of moving with others can bring nostalgia and community.

It reflects the wider approach to care within the home, where behaviour is seen as a form of communication. Support is shaped around the person rather than trying to correct or control them. Over time, Roberto’s visits have become a familiar part of the month.

Even as people’s needs change, the focus within the home stays the same, creating an environment where people feel comfortable, understood and able to be themselves.

𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮

𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮

For more information about Heanton Nursing Home activities please visit Activities in Care – Heanton Nursing Home

The Story Behind the Nurse, Annapurna’s Journey at Hatherleigh Nursing Home

During International Nurses Week, there’s a common focus on recognising the role of nurses, the responsibility they carry, the decisions they make, and the impact they can have on people’s lives. Behind that are individual stories shaped over time by personal journeys, experiences, support, and the reasons someone chose to care in the first place. This is Registered Nurse Annapurna Thirmalreddy’s story at Hatherleigh Nursing Home.

From a young age, Annapurna was told by her mother “Be brave, stand on your own feet, and learn all types of work”. This advice stayed with her, and when the time came to choose a career, nursing felt like the right path, offering both stability and a sense of purpose.

Annapurna completed her General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) training in 2005 at St. Ann’s Nursing School in India. With a hospital on site, she gained experience across different departments, building the foundations of her practice early on. “They taught me to be diligent and hardworking” she shared, and this is something she has carried with her ever since.

This year for International Nurses Week, the theme is “Empowered Nurses Save Lives”, we asked Annapurna “What does feeling empowered in your role mean to you personally?”

She shared, “Feeling empowered has given me the responsibility to care for, and sometimes even save the lives of those in my care. It’s made me feel stronger and more confident in my professional life.”

This sense of confidence has been built over time, supported by the care community around her. Annapurna describes Hatherleigh Nursing Home as somewhere she has been able to grow, both personally and professionally. The Devon nursing home provides continuous training for team members, offering opportunities to develop and progress in their careers through their Evolve Care Academy.

“Hatherleigh Nursing Home feels like my own home,” she said. “The whole leadership team, including Tamsin, Ashley, Elena, and the QA team who are available day to day are supportive and approachable. I am especially happy and proud to have Ashley as our Home Manager. She is kind, compassionate, and understands everyone’s needs, always offering support.”

However when Annapurna first arrived in the UK, things felt uncertain. “I didn’t know anyone and was struggling to find a place to live and a job for my husband,” she explained. “There were days when I thought about going back to India, but Ashley supported us through that time. She helped my husband find work as a care assistant, and we were able to settle into a nice flat.”

Annapurna was supported to complete her Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) and gained her Nursing and Midwifery Council registration (NMC pin), making her a registered nurse in the UK.

Reflecting on that period, she added, “Ashley has played a big part in helping me become the nurse I am today.”

Her experience shows how encouragement can shape not only a nurse’s confidence, but the care they give to others. With the right support around her, Annapurna and her husband were able to build a life in the UK, both now with their own careers and settled into their own home.

Through her role at Hatherleigh Nursing Home, she now supports family members (residents) each day through clinical care, reassurance and advocacy, often acting as a calm and trusted presence during difficult moments.

“Nurses are often the voices for the people we support. We should treat them as though they were our own family” she shared, “Kindness, compassion and empathy are at the heart of nursing.”

We asked Annapurna what advice she would give to somebody starting their nursing career today.

“Be ready to learn, learn from your mistakes and just be happy”.

During this International Nurses Week, Annapurna’s story is a reminder that when nurses feel supported and empowered, that confidence reaches far beyond the individual themselves. It shapes the care, reassurance and advocacy they provide to people and families every single day.

If you would like to learn more about Hatherleigh Nursing Home, visit: https://www.hatherleighnursinghome.com/join-our-team/

International Nurses Week: Care Rooted in Compassion

Nursing is often spoken about as one profession, but the day-to-day reality can look very different depending on where a nurse works, who they support and the kind of care being given. While some nurses work in fast-paced hospital environments focused mainly on treatment and recovery, nursing within social care can offer more opportunity to build long-term relationships and support people not just physically, but emotionally and socially too.

As part of International Nurses Week, we spoke to Lucy Hernaman, a social care nurse at Heanton Nursing Home in North Devon. Reflecting on her experiences supporting people living with dementia and complex needs, Lucy shared how working in social care changed her understanding of compassionate nursing and the importance of truly knowing the people you care for.

Lucy, who joined Heanton in 2021, spoke about how different the home felt compared to more traditional and institutional care settings she had previously experienced.

“Heanton is about as far from institutionalised as it could possibly be,” she said. “I wish more nurses had the opportunity to experience placements in homes like this during their training.”

Lucy explained that one of the biggest things she learned was the importance of understanding the emotional and social needs behind a person’s behaviour, rather than simply reacting to the behaviour itself.

“When I first started at Heanton I had very little dementia knowledge,” she said. “I soon found that people behaved a certain way for many different reasons and that it was important to identify those reasons, especially when someone may not have the capacity to tell us themselves.”

She also spoke about the home’s flexible approach to care and supporting people to continue living life in a way that feels natural to them.

“In some places I had worked before, people were expected to fit into the home’s schedule,” Lucy said. “At Heanton, family members are supported to live as they wish. There is no strict routine, and people aren’t made to fit into a mould.”

Lucy described the home’s approach to medication as another area that stood out to her, explaining that understanding distress and recognising early signs of discomfort could often help avoid situations escalating.

“I love Heanton’s stance towards medication and that it is always used as a last resort,” she said. “Far more work and skill goes into meeting a person’s needs than simply managing the after-effects of an incident.”

Speaking about what matters most to her as a nurse, Lucy said human connection remained at the heart of good care.

“The thing I most love about my job is that I am allowed to love the family members as if they were my own family,” she said. “Sometimes that human connection is what makes a person’s day. The people we look after are our equals and this is how we should care for them.”

To read the whole story:  International Nurses Week: Care Rooted in Compassion - Heanton Nursing Home

Ilfracombe Ukulele Pluckers bring Musical Afternoon to North Devon Care Home

Recently at Edenmore Nursing Home in North Devon, the afternoon was filled with the sound of music as the home was visited by the Ilfracombe Ukulele Pluckers.

Family members (residents) who wanted to listen to the performance gathered in one of the home’s lounges. There was a great turnout, with a number of family members who often prefer to keep to themselves, or stay in the comfort of their own spaces, choosing to join in.

The Ukulele Pluckers played songs from different eras and even repeated some favourites. There was lots of singing along from the team and family members. Harry, Diana and Susan got up to dance in front of the performers, with Susan up and dancing for an hour and encouraging rounds of applause at the end of songs!

Susan also stood by another family member, who preferred to sit, during a number of songs, and helped her to join in by taking her hand and swaying with the music. She also got the chance to try out playing one of the ukuleles at the end of the performance. Peter, another family member, also stood up to be closer to the Ukulele Pluckers, singing alongside them for a while as though he was part of the band himself.

It was a really special afternoon that brought everyone together to enjoy tunes from decades past and get a few feet tapping and dancing.

Music can be very powerful for people who are living with a Dementia or are on a cognitive journey. Rhythm and melody activate parts of the brain linked to emotion, movement and long-term memory, so although someone might struggle to recall a recent conversation, they can sometimes still remember the words or beat to a song from years ago.

The Ilfracombe Ukulele Pluckers shared about their visit, ‘Our afternoon at Edenmore was heart-warmingly memorable. We carefully chose songs that we hoped the residents would enjoy. Luckily, we picked some favourites, as we had residents tapping their feet, dancing and singing along. We just hope we brought as much joy to you all, as you gave to us. Thanks for the warm welcome, yummy cakes and laughter, we hope to see you again soon!’

Edenmore is also currently undergoing a number of refurbishments, with a newly completed lounge and dining room with kitchenette recently opening on the home’s first street (floor). It is the first of several projects taking place throughout the home, helping to give the environment a fresh new feel for the people who live, visit and work there. Refurbishments on a second lounge have also now begun, with the home looking forward to holding future events and performances within these new spaces.

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

Wendy’s Story: A Former Teacher Now Living at Heanton Nursing Home

With National Teachers’ Day approaching in early May, it feels especially fitting to celebrate Wendy, a teacher whose life was shaped by language, learning and a deep belief in helping others grow.

Wendy spent her entire working life in secondary schools as a French teacher. Over the years she grew in her career, becoming Head of Languages and later Deputy Head, all while continuing to teach the subject she loved most. In the evenings she taught A-Level French, exploring French literature with her students.

French was her true speciality. She spoke it fluently, though she could also step in to teach Spanish and German when needed. She was described as a strict but fair, the kind of teacher who expected the best but always believed her students could achieve it.

Many of those lessons extended far beyond the classroom walls. Wendy was always happy to join the French exchanges, travelling with her students to Argences and exploring towns across the Normandy region. These trips suited her perfectly, as history is also a passion of hers.

On many of those trips she was accompanied by her lifelong friend and colleague, Jenny.

Jenny had travelled to France with the school many times, even though she had never taken French as a GCSE. One day Wendy simply said to her, “Well, you keep coming to France, you really should have your GCSE.”

So, Wendy taught her.

With Wendy’s guidance, Jenny went on to achieve an A*. It was a small but perfect example of the kind of teacher Wendy was. Someone who quietly believes people are capable of more than they think.

Today Wendy lives with Alzheimer’s at Heanton Nursing Home. The condition may change many things, but her identity remains beautifully clear.

At Heanton, there is a belief that life doesn’t end when someone moves into care, it carries on. The focus is on understanding the person behind the diagnosis, so that even as things change, there is still meaning, familiarity and a sense of home in the everyday.

You might find her marking a set of mock papers the team have printed for her, carefully looking through them just as she did for years in school. If your shoes aren’t quite right, she might gently tell you off if they don’t quite look like proper uniform. And if you meet her, you may well find yourself calling her Miss Harris.

There is almost always a book nearby. Wendy has always loved reading, particularly English literature, and she is often happiest sitting quietly with a book in hand or spending time doing arts and crafts, whether that’s during the day or when joining the homes monthly sessions with Ruth Bateman.

To read more about the events and people at Heanton News & Blogs - Heanton Nursing Home - Devon Nursing Home

Nursing Home Turns Reception Area into Sweet Shop and Café

Hatherleigh Nursing Home near Okehampton, Devon, has re-vamped what was once its reception area, turning it into a sweet shop and café. The space now features shelves of traditional sweet jars alongside a small coffee area where drinks can be made and enjoyed, creating another place to sit and make a hot drink beyond the kitchenettes within each household.

The idea grew from a family member (resident) who previously ran her own sweet shop. She now spends time in the space with others, surrounded by something that still feels recognisable. The team worked with The Puzzled Sweet Shop in Dawlish to bring the idea to life, sourcing jars and a selection of classic sweets from the local business.

Jars line the shelves filled with liquorice all sorts, jelly beans, chocolate mice, peppermint creams and other traditional favourites. A vintage-style scale is used as sweets are weighed out into white or classic pink striped paper bags.

The space has quickly become part of everyday life in the home, with people stopping by throughout the day. Some pause in front of the jars, taking their time to choose, while others sit nearby with a drink and watch as bags are filled and passed across the counter.

For some, it brings back the experience of stopping at the local shop, whether that was after school with friends or later taking their own children at the weekend, choosing sweets from behind the counter — something many remember as a familiar part of daily life. It has introduced a setting that feels recognisable, while also offering a place for relatives and visitors to pause when they arrive.

The change reflects a wider focus on the spaces people use each day and the routines that continue within them. By understanding each person’s history, preferences and habits, support is shaped around the individual, with family members continuing to live in a way that feels familiar to them.

 

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

Devon Nursing Home Brings Smiles Through Learning

A recent session at Hatherleigh Nursing Home, based in Okehampton, Devon, brought team members together with a local professional, as Nicole from Torrington Dental Surgery led an informal talk focused on the importance of oral care.

Eight team members from across the home were invited to take part, including Care Assistants, Care Practitioners, House Leads and Registered Nurses. The mix of roles meant the skills and knowledge could be shared back across the households within the home. Nicole, who has previously worked in social care shaped the session around everyday practice. Dentures and toothbrushes were shared around as she talked through practical approaches, alongside the importance of preventative care and recognising early signs of discomfort.

The discussion focused on the small things that affect someone’s comfort every day and taking time to really understand them, such as changes in eating, sensitivity or how someone responds during support. By exploring these moments together, the session offered time to revisit everyday approaches and build confidence in recognising and responding to changes early.

It also reflected the value of multi-disciplinary working within the home, bringing together the knowledge of a dental professional with the day-to-day understanding of team members to further strengthen how oral health supports overall wellbeing.

A spokesperson for Hatherleigh Nursing Home said: “We are incredibly thankful to Nicole for sharing her expertise and supporting our ongoing learning and development. Partnerships like these are so valuable in helping us continue to strengthen the care and support we provide every day.”

Nicole from Torrington Dental Surgery all smiles at Hatherleigh Nursing Home

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