Hatherleigh Nursing Home Celebrates Harvest with Soup and Song

A harvest blessing, singing and homemade soup brought people together as Hatherleigh Nursing Home welcomed the local community for its Harvest Festival celebration.

The dementia care home, based in Hatherleigh, Okehampton, hosted family members (residents), relatives and visitors in its Belvedere Lounge. The afternoon began with the blessing before the choir took over, with family members following their hymn sheets and joining in with the singing.

With farming such a part of life in Hatherleigh and the surrounding villages, harvest has a place in the town’s agricultural traditions. The celebration brought that connection into the home, recognising the work that goes into growing and producing the food we eat.

The kitchen team served homemade butternut squash soup with crusty bread, followed by jam tarts and plenty of cups of tea.

The home, which offers 24-hour dementia nursing care, residential care, respite care and complex care, continues to support the people who live there through connection with the local community and its traditions, all while striving to create a home-from-home environment.

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

Heanton Nursing Home Gets into the 80s Groove

Leg warmers, neon tutus, oversized hair and inflatable guitars took over Heanton Nursing Home as residents (who the home fondly refers to as family members) and team members turned back the clock for a day inspired by the 1980s.

But the transformation had actually begun the night before.

While family members slept, Heanton’s night team got to work transforming the home, so that by morning everyone woke up to colourful decorations, cassette tapes, disco-inspired displays, balloons and a ‘Back to the 80s’ photo booth ready for the day ahead.

Team members threw themselves into the theme too, arriving in everything from neon beads and fingerless gloves to shell suits, wigs, leg warmers and tutus.

The day included an 80s-themed Zumba session, music, dressing up and plenty of opportunities for everyone to get involved. Inflatable guitars, microphones, saxophones and boom boxes quickly became part of the outfits, while the photo booth captured some of the more elaborate looks.

One of the day’s best throwbacks, however, came from one of Heanton’s Maintenance team, Ian. He arrived sporting a long blonde wig for the occasion before producing a photograph of himself from the 1980s, revealing that his real hair back then looked remarkably similar.

Home manager Abigail Denford said: “It was incredible to see the whole home come together. Our night team put so much thought into transforming everything while family members were asleep, so they genuinely woke up in the 80s. Seeing their reactions that morning, and then watching family members and team members dancing, dressing up and enjoying the music together, was really special. These are the days that make Heanton feel like a family.”

For Heanton, days like this are less about putting on an activity and more about creating a home where the people living and working alongside one another can share experiences, be themselves and have some fun together. With music playing, family members reaching for the inflatable guitars and team members embracing some questionable 80s fashion choices, Heanton spent the day firmly back in the decade of big hair, bright colours and even bigger accessories.

Heanton Nursing Home, based in Heanton Punchardon near Barnstaple, supports people living with a Dementia and other complex needs, with an approach centred around understanding the person beyond a diagnosis and creating a place that feels like home. 

 

For more information, please visit  Dementia, Complex, Respite, and Residential Care in Devon

 

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/

True Compassion: Carole’s Career in Care

A member of the care team at Edenmore Nursing Home has shared how a career in social care helped her discover a passion for homemaking, creating a warm, welcoming environment where people feel comfortable, cared for and at home.

Social care offers a wide range of career opportunities, from Carers and Care Practitioners to Domestics, Maintenance Team Members, Nurses, Chefs, Cooks, House Leads, Administrators and Home Managers.

It is a sector where people often discover new interests, develop new skills and grow into different roles over time. For many, it is a career path they never fully understood until they experienced it for themselves.

Carole joined Edenmore Nursing Home almost seven years ago after looking for a role where she could make a positive difference within her local community. What began as a position as a Carer soon evolved into a role that perfectly matched her lifelong love of cooking, hospitality and caring for others.

Originally from France, Carole grew up on a family farm in Normandy before moving to England in her twenties. After working as a personal assistant, raising a family and later retraining as a special needs teaching assistant, she eventually found herself searching for a career where she could build lasting relationships and support older people.

Reflecting on her decision to join Edenmore, Carole said, 'I was looking for a permanent role where I could stay within the local community and make a positive difference to people's lives. I have always enjoyed caring for children, but I also became aware of the many older people in my neighbourhood living alone and often feeling isolated.'

Today, Carole is best known in the home for her homemaker role. From preparing welcoming living spaces and supporting mealtimes to sharing conversations over a cup of tea, painting nails, listening to music and simply sitting alongside someone who enjoys company, her focus is on creating an environment where everyday life continues in a way that feels familiar and meaningful.

She said, 'Every day is different, but my aim is always the same; to make everyone feel comfortable, loved, cared for and at home.'

Over the years, Carole has built close relationships with the family members (residents), including greeting one former French teacher each morning in French.

She shared, 'It has become our secret language. It is lovely to see her smile and laugh every time we do this, and it makes my day.  It is a simple event but reminds me how small connections can make a difference.’

For Carole, these relationships are what make working in care so rewarding. When leaving the home at the end of the day, she has a special routine she follows.

‘At the end of each shift at 7pm, I don’t say goodbye.  The reason for this is because it can upset some of the family members.  Instead, I simply say, “My friends, I am tired now and I need a rest.  I will see you in the morning.  Keep well.”

To read Carole's full story, including her journey from rural France to North Devon, her daily life as Edenmore's homemaker, the special relationships she has built with family members, and the story behind her famous apron collection, visit: 

True Compassion: Carole’s Career in Care

Edenmore Nursing Home provides 24-hour nursing and residential care in Ilfracombe, North Devon.