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Halloween

Posted by on August 24, 2009
Big Events, Halloween / No Comments

Hello my name is Melanie and I’m a Activities Co-ordinator at Dorset House in Droitwich.

At Dorset House I organised a halloween party we started off my having the local nurseries visit us in costume to do trick or treating at dinnertime, this was convient for us as well as the children as all the residents were in one place and the children stayed for refreshments we had sweets on each dining room table and the residents enjoyed giving out the treats plus we could monitor no money was exchanged.

The staff dressed up including some of the residents and i decorated the dining room with decorations, which the residents made the week before in Arts and Crafts Sessions.

At tea time we had a spooky menu which we served food with scarey names e.g. Eyeball and blood punch ( Blackcurrent juice with grapes) Then i went round the residents with a box decorated in halloween paper and each resident had to put there hand in to get a prize, everyone enjoyed themselves as it was like trick or treating again when they were younger.

Finally we had a bingo session where we invited the residents and their relatives to join in and had a raffle with a few prizes, tickets cost £3.00 for a book and a glass of fruit juice or wine.

Hope this helps with Halloween this year.

Christmas with Fake Snow!

Posted by admin on August 24, 2009
Christmas / No Comments

Near Christmas me and the staff put on a Christmas Carol Service outside the Dining room window during teatime, we had a local company that had a fake snow machine so it was a proper Charles Dickens Christmas, fun was had by all and it was even better that we all got together afterwards for mince pies and mulled wine yum!

 

Melanie Eastwood

Activities Co-ordinator, Dorset House, Droitwich, Worcestershire

 

 

Free Canal Cruising-The Seagull Trust

Posted by admin on August 02, 2009
Days Out, Falkirk, Glasgow, Scotland / No Comments

A great day out that we had was on a boat belonging to the Seagull Trust, with a sail starting at the Falkirk Wheel going to the boat yard at Bantaskin.  The trip lasts approx 2 hours.  We went for high tea afterwards at the Dutch Inn, Skinflats who do a set menu for the elderly at two courses for £6.95.  The boat trip is donation only.  The Seagull trust has a website http://www.seagulltrust.org.uk for more information.  They also have sailings from Kirkintilloch area.

Lorna

MacKenzie Court

 

 

 

Glasgow Afternoon Lunch & Sing-a-Long

 

Sorry but Kaldis are no longer doing Afternoon Sing-alongs. 

Parachute Aerobics

Posted by admin on May 20, 2009
Games / No Comments

We all sit in a circle, each taking an end of the parachute and shaking it up and down with beach ball or balloons on top. The residents try to stop the ball coming off the parachute using their head, elbows & shoulders. Its great exercise and good fun. You can make up teams or just all play together.

I got our parachute from the Winslow activity book but Asda also now stock them and they’re a lot cheaper there.

 

 

Annmarie, Centenary House Nursing Home, Coatbridge.
Note from Carestar: This item is available from our Amazon Store

Activity Games-Saving Money

Posted by admin on April 22, 2009
Games, Saving Money / No Comments

I bought Giant Dominoes, Lacing Beads, Rope Quoits, Skittles, Giant 4 in a Row and Giant Board Games which include Snakes and Ladders, Ludo, and Draughts and a Parachute.

I bought these on Amazon.com and saved a lot of money (£300) by using this site, compared to the Rompa book.

The lacing beads are good for hand and eye co-ordination. The rope quoits, parachute, snakes and ladders are going down great, all the residents seem to like them.

The 4 in a Row is going down well also but it is more for people in the early stages of dementia.

 

Amazon has been great and the delivery service is great and all has been packaged well too.

 

Shelly, Activities Co-ordinator. Crossgates Care Home, Kilmarnock.

Note from Peter: After speaking to Shelly about this I thought that if anyone was able to save (£300) this amount of money could go along way in enhancing the residents quality of life in so many other ways. So I contacted Amazon and we now have a page with products specifically for the elderly. Click Here to view. If you have any other suggestions of products or other relevant companies please let me know and we will add them.

3 Course Lunch and Sing-a-Long at the Willowbank Hotel in Largs

Posted by admin on April 22, 2009
Afternoon Sing-a-longs, Bus Trips, Days Out, In Largs, Largs, Scotland / No Comments

The Willowbank Hotel

96 Greenock Road, Largs, KA30 8PG

The hotel is located in the seaside town of Largs and has so many benefits including:
  • Easy place to drive to.
  • Enjoy a walk along the prom, prom, prom!
  • Visit the famous Nardini’s café for an ice cream.
  • Visit the many interesting local shops.
  • Large function room seating 180 people.
  • Easy parking for buses.
  • Wheelchair access and disabled toilets.
  • Large dance floor.

 The cost for a 3 course lunch and Sing-a-Long is £11.50

12.30 seating for a 1pm Lunch
Entertainment from 2pm till 3pm
Contact the Willowbank direct on 01475 672311 or email iaincsmith@btconnect.com for bookings

Click here to view a video clip of a recent event.

Dates for 2017………

 March 15th

Wednesday 15th March, St Patrick’s Themed Show with Douglas

April 20th  

  Thursday 20th April, Variety Show with Elaine

May 11th & 25th

Thursday 11th May, Variety Show with Douglas

Thursday 25th May, Variety Show with Ben

June 26th  
Monday 26th June, Variety Show with Douglas

July 6th, 12th & 28th

Tuesday 6th July, Variety Show.

Wednesday 12th July, Variety Show with Stephen

Friday 28th July, Variety Show with Elaine

August 17th & 30th
Thursday 17th August, Variety Show with Douglas
Wednesday 30th August, Variety Show with Stephen

September 25th
Monday 25th September, Variety Show with Ben

October 26th
Thursday 26th October, Variety Show with Elaine

November 13th
Monday 13th November, Variety Show with Douglas

December 9th
Wednesday 13th  December, Christmas Show with Ben £13.95

*Please note all entertainers can be subject to change.*

Holiday in Largs-Special Short Break

Posted by admin on March 12, 2009
Holidays / No Comments

The Willowbank Hotel in Largs is doing a Special Short Break Deal!

Mondays-Thursdays (minimum two night Stay) High tea, bed & breakfast £65 per night single occupancy room or £45 per night for two sharing. Fridays-Sundays £5 extra. Includes Entertainment.

Telephone:  01475 672311  website: www.thewillowbankhotel.co.uk

Quote “Carestar” when booking to get this deal.

Bus Trips-Transport

Posted by admin on March 12, 2009
Bus Trips, Transport / No Comments

We have had a lot of enquiries regarding transport and the expense of it. Therefore I personally made a few phone calls and have come up with some hopefully good news!!

So far I have 6  Community Transport Companies (not for profit organizations) whose aim is to provide accessible, affordable and reliable community transport that encourages and supports the participation of local residents in community activity and economic opportunity.

Glasgow Area (4)

(1)North Area Transport Association (NATA). Contact: Bernie Rafferty Tel/Fax:      0141 336 4415      Email: b.rafferty@natatransport.co.uk Website: www.natatransport.com

(2) Castlemilk Community Transport (CCTL). Contact Lorraine Burton Tel:      0141 630 1300       info@castlemilkcommunitytransport.org.uk  
Website: www.castlemilkcommunitytransport.co.uk

(3) East Glasgow Area: Community Transport Glasgow                                                                 Contact: David Stewart. Telephone:      0141 778 2042     

(4) South West Community Transport.                                                                                       Contact: Margaret Urie. Telephone:      0141 881 9998     

Lothian (Edinburgh) 1

Lothian Community Transport Service (LCTS) Telephone      0131 669 889      Website: www.lothiancommunitytransport.co.uk Email: info@LCTS.org.uk

East Ayrshire 1

Coalfield Community Transport. Telephone:  01…                          Website: www.yellowbuses.org.uk Email: enquiries@yellowbuses.org.uk  

For any transport matters please contact the companies direct. If you can give any feeback on how you get on we would love to know. Also if you have any other companies that you can recommend please inform us and we will put it on the forum.

Kind Regards, Peter.

www.carestar.co.uk

Choir

Posted by admin on February 23, 2009
Music Activities, Uncategorized / No Comments
Here at Westacres every Friday afternoon we have a choir.  Volunteers come in and play the guitar and sing with the residents and staff.  It is one of the best turn outs we have for any activity and is enjoyed by residents, visitors and staff.  We have songs typed out on A4 paper (quite large font) so that everyone can join in the singing.
 
Hope this helps with your activity forum.
 
Regards
 
Angela Ryan, Westacres Care Home, Glasgow.
 
PS you don’t have to have anyone playing an instrument to have this activity.