Hobbies & Activities
"As we grow older, we must discipline ourselves to continue expanding, broadening, learning, keeping our minds active and open." Clint Eastwood
Community Engagement
We believe that residents in care homes are citizens in their own right who can, if they wish to do so, make a positive contribution to their local community. We seek to foster strong community links at each of our homes. Activities coordinators work with residents and local organisations to build ties, arrange events and participate fully in local life and to identify opportunities for learning and broader fulfilment with hobbies and other interests.
Activities and Life Stories
An integral part of Caring Homes’ activities programme is a commitment to working with residents to ensure that they continue to lead active lives and play fulfilling and meaningful roles within their own communities, to as great or as little extent as they wish. To that end, Caring Homes has invested substantially in creating a network of activities coordinators – one at every home – tasked with establishing strong and lasting links with key local community groups and resources.
Activities Coordinators at each home work with every resident to develop a suite of activities designed to meet the spiritual, physical and social needs of each individual. The foundation stone of this approach is the creation of a ‘Life Story’ record for each resident. ‘Life Stories’ were initially devised for residents living with dementia, to create a record of the individual’s life, working with the resident and family and loved ones. However, they have proven such a useful resource for understanding and engagement that they are now being rolled out to all residents who wish to take part.
Events Throughout the Year
An active and engaging life should be part of every person’s daily experience. Nevertheless, there are always exciting opportunities for special events throughout the year. In addition to the traditional occasions known and loved by all, our homes regularly hold special weeks in all seasons, where residents can take part in themed events and homes can come together to raise money for our partner charities.
Examples of these include Daffodil Week in the Spring, where many homes raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care, Midsummer Magic in June where we partner with the Alzheimer’s Society and Forget Me Not Month in November in association with the Royal British Legion.
These occasions provide a wonderful opportunity to build upon the community spirit within homes and make a difference for some very worthy causes.
