In Banbury, residents of Larkrise Care Centre enjoyed an afternoon of glamour, awards and fun at a special Oscars ceremony. After a pamper morning with make-up and hair styling residents got dressed up in their finest frocks and suits before making their way down the red carpet to the awards ceremony. They were entertained by a singer and then enjoyed some delicious canapes cooked by their talented chef. They enjoyed a sumptuous feast followed by dancing and a casino.

Langford View Care Centre in Bicester had a silent disco! Residents had so much fun dancing to the music and the room was completely quiet apart from people singing along. Everyone got dressed up and had glow sticks and disco lights to complete their look.

Residents from Madley Park in Witney took to the ice with some accessible ice skating at Oxford Ice Rink, while Westgate’s residents in Wallingford admired their talented friends’ work in their very own art exhibition and Henry Cornish Care Centre in Chipping Norton welcomed squirrel monkeys through their doors.

Much more went on besides and it was vibrant, fun week that truly broke the mould of what activities people might expect to see in a care home.

As part of OSJCT’s Trust-wide ‘I Can’t Believe It’s a Care Home’ competition, residents at Langford View were keen to challenge perceptions by showcasing the unexpected activities they like to do, such as this disco with a twist.

The room was lit up with glowsticks and disco lights and, after dressing up in wigs and colourful clothing, residents were each given a set of wireless headphones. Residents danced the morning away to tunes that came through their headphones which included some disco classics.

Some people sang along, but listening to the music through the headphones rather than through speakers gave the peculiar effect of a room full of people dancing to nothing!

It was a great chance to show off dance moves and party with fellow residents. The vibrant, fun activity was enjoyed by all and shows that life begins at Langford View!

Care Home Open Day this year is on Friday the 28th of June and the theme is ‘Celebrating Arts in Care’. The day allows care homes across the country to open their doors to the public for a fun-filled event promoting interaction, experiences and memories for the residents in the homes.

Carehome.co.uk has noted that care homes are “incredibly creative communities”. The Care Home Open Day gives residents the opportunity to be part of a national event showcasing their hobbies, talents and enjoyment through painting, sculpture, photography, poetry, movement, drama and music. Any art form can be portrayed.

At OSJCT our county homes are busy preparing for the day. Here is a snapshot of Wiltshire’s plans.

Ashwood – An arts and crafts exhibition will be held displaying resident and employees’ creations. Also showcased will be photography from The Warminster school and winning creations from an art competition entered by pupils from St Johns school.

Athelstan House – Is making a giant mural of Malmesbury in tapestry which will involve residents, relatives, staff and the larger community in this art project.

Avonbourne Care Centre – Is holding a day filled with art. The local school will be attending to create paintings and crafts of residents lives and their past. These will then be gifted to the residents. There will also be a competition for residents and carers to create pieces of work.

Buckland Court – Will be ‘Celebrating our Creative Arts’ during the week leading up to the 28th of June. Residents along with children from local schools will be present to help assist. Entertainers will also be visiting the home to promote music and an open day/community café will be held with cream teas.

Coombe End – Photos are being created for a calendar entitled “growing old disgracefully”. These will be printed onto canvas to exhibit on the open day.

Fives Court – Is celebrating ‘Arts in Care’ with residents painting individual canvases and a larger canvas will be on display for family and visitors to contribute to. There will be an exhibition of all at the end of the day. A Greek dancer has been invited to share music and dance as well as a local quilters group and literacy group. A photography session will be held in the garden for residents and all to learn and enjoy.

Goodson Lodge – White Horse Pottery is coming to the home to give a talk, demonstration and practical experience to the residents on the pottery wheel. Throughout the day all will be doing hand prints which will be varnished and placed on the home’s art wall in the garden.

A community choir will be visiting the home on this day to entertain and interact with the residents.

Hayward House – Is doing a coffee morning and art exhibition with residents which will include the use of salt dough made by children from the local school. There will be a poetry corner done by residents and photographs they have taken will also be displayed. Also, on show will be mosaic tiles made by scouts and residents.

Hungerford House – Residents will be painting on large blank canvases which once complete will be placed on the walls of the home. A barbeque will be at lunchtime and then a session of marble art through the use of polystyrene balls and sticks to create garden ornaments to place in flower beds and pots. A tropical/Hawaiian theme will be part of the whole day with a magician entertaining everyone in the afternoon.

Seymour House – Sainsbury’s Chippenham will be coming along on the day to help support the home with painting on glass and fabric. All under a Caribbean theme which they have also been helping to create in the garden.

St Wilfrid’s Priory – An ‘rockabilly’ entertainer will be coming into the home to talk to residents about theatre life. This will be followed by a picnic lunch and then the entertainer will do a performance of old classics.

The Cedars – A Dementia Friends session will start the morning followed by Alzheimer’s Support visiting and providing talks to the community. Alongside this will be a ceramic pottery class. A Hawaiian picnic will follow and in the afternoon a keyboard entertainer and pets as therapy session.

Willowcroft – A travelling farm will visit in the morning on the day. Local schools have been invited and to join a picnic and in the afternoon the residents will be doing an art show.

Care Home Open Day this year is on Friday the 28th of June and the theme is ‘Celebrating Arts in Care’. The day allows care homes across the country to open their doors to the public for a fun-filled event promoting interaction, experiences and memories for the residents in the homes.

Carehome.co.uk has noted that care homes are “incredibly creative communities”. The Care Home Open Day gives residents the opportunity to be part of a national event showcasing their hobbies, talents and enjoyment through painting, sculpture, photography, poetry, movement, drama and music. Any art form can be portrayed.

At OSJCT our county homes are busy preparing for the day. Here is a snapshot of Oxfordshire’s plans.

Chilterns Court – A local playgroup will be visiting the home for a sing-a-long and helping to support an arts and crafts project day.

Glebe House – Will be holding an art session in the morning to create a summer themed collage. The rest of the day will be all about music with karaoke, a volunteer guitarist coming to play in the afternoon and a taster musical instrument session.

Henry Cornish – The residents artwork will be display on the day and RAF Brize Norton will be joining on the day.

Isis House – Is holding a special ‘arty coffee morning’ for the Nippers & Slippers intergenerational playgroup and will also have the local school visit. Residents and the children will partake in arts and crafts throughout the day.

Lake House – Has invited the local school to come in and visit the residents for an art day.

Langford View – Is creating a big piece of art which the local community is invited to contribute to. There will be a fete at the home with refreshments, activities and stalls.

Larkrise – Will have an art exhibition by both residents and carers hopefully being opened by a member of the local town council. An afternoon tea party will be held and a ‘create your own masterpiece’ in the garden area.

Longlands is planning an arts and crafts day which includes painting plant pots and canvasses. Residents, families and the local community are invited to join and there will also be a cake sale and raffle.

Madley Park – Will be having a ‘rock and roll’ performance on the day.

Marston Court – Will be holding an art exhibition of residents’ work and will have a visit from a local music group and falconry to entertain all.

MeadowCroft – Has organised a local singer/guitarist and pianist to come into the home for a sing song. This will be followed by a display of art projects, poetry and knitting pieces. Also open to the community is a wander around the newly planted garden area which will be created in the month of June with the Rotary Club and local businesses.

The Meadows – Will be outdoors in their garden redesigning and painting their potting shed and cladding. They are hoping to have musicians to also come into the home on the day.

Old Station House – Will be holding a karaoke event alongside an art exhibition by the residents on the day.

Spencer Court – The residents will be creating a range of artwork in different mediums which will be hopefully displayed in a pop-up gallery in the local town of Woodstock. Further artwork will be shown in the home alongside refreshments for the local community.

Stirlings – Is creating a big mosaic with support from The Ray Collins Charitable Trust.

Townsend House – Has already started work with Creative Mojo as part of their national Tree of Life project. The home is painting colourful butterflies to go on their Tree of Celebration in the home. On the day there will be a BBQ, games and an entertainer performing.

Westgate – Is holding a barbecue and an expo of artwork by residents will be displayed.

Care Home Open Day this year is on Friday the 28th of June and the theme is ‘Celebrating Arts in Care’. The day allows care homes across the country to open their doors to the public for a fun-filled event promoting interaction, experiences and memories for the residents in the homes.

Carehome.co.uk has noted that care homes are “incredibly creative communities”. The Care Home Open Day gives residents the opportunity to be part of a national event showcasing their hobbies, talents and enjoyment through painting, sculpture, photography, poetry, movement, drama and music. Any art form can be portrayed.

At OSJCT our county homes are busy preparing for the day. Here is a snapshot of Lincolnshire’s plans.

Apple Trees – The theme will be ‘Celebration of Summer’ which will include Wimbledon with strawberries and cream. Music will be accompanied alongside a holiday on the beach dressing up event.

Beckside – Will be holding arts and crafts with the residents on the day including an exhibition of all the work with refreshments, includes cakes baked by the residents, for all to enjoy.

Boultham Park House – Is hosting an old time musical themed event with an afternoon tea party alongside the opening of the home’s newly refurbished café.

Digby Court – Will be displaying art work created by residents relating to the refurbishment of the lounge area. Relatives, families and the local community is invited to come along.

Ermine House – Local artists will be coming to the home to give art lessons in the garden and to help residents create their own pieces of work.

Gregory House – The residents will be engaging in several art and craft workshops including glass making, art classes, photography and the continuation of the Elder Tree writing project. On the actual day there will be a ‘big’ unveiling for everyone to see.

Fosse House – Children from Lincoln Minster school will be coming to sing for the residents in the morning. In the afternoon, the dining area will be turned into an art studio from colouring to finger painting to clay mounting. Family, friends and the community are invited to explore their creative side with the residents.

Hartsholme House –  Is displaying pottery and crafts created by the residents and the volunteers. During the day there will be a sing-a-long with the local ukulele band.

Skirbeck Court – Is having a picnic in the garden on the day.

Whitfrairs – Will be visited by the Rocking Horse nursery for a community painting session which will show residents hand prints and children images displayed on a canvas. Carers will also be dressing up in a 1960’s theme with an entertainer performing the decade.

Daniel ‘Danny’ Thomas joined the Army when he was 18 years old to complete his National Service. His first placement was in Wiltshire before, being sent out to be stationed in Cyprus.  Danny worked his way up and was promoted to the rank of Corporal. His colleagues felt he was Sergeant material, but he left his service at age 21 to get maries and enjoy a family life.

With the support of his daughter, Danny completed his application to receive his Veteran’s badge. Once the badge was received the Activities Team at Monkscroft invited Roy Roberts, Chairman of the Royal British legion Cheltenham Branch, to present Danny with his Veteran’s Badge. The day was made very special and a ceremony was put on especially for Danny.

Danny was joined by his family, other residents and the team for the presentation. Roy spoke with Danny and his daughter Sharon about his service experiences and they shared photographs with Roy. It was a lovely afternoon which was followed by tea and cake.

The memory café welcomed members of the local community, volunteers and people from local organisations. There was plenty of information and leaflets available, along with the support of our Head of Dementia Care.

It was a great opportunity for the local community to get together and be able to speak to other local people in the same situation whilst having a cup of tea and a slice of cake.

A board was set up with what people would like from the next memory café, so this will continue to evolve and grow.

The next memory café at Monkscroft Care Centre is Wednesday 6th March 2-4pm, the event is free, informal and everyone is welcome.

This annual competition sees each of the homes go head to head in a quest to break down negative perceptions of living in a care home, by showcasing some of the most unique and unexpected activities which are organised for our residents.

Goodson opted to have a jam-packed day full of quirky activities. They kicked off at 11:00am with a yoga warm up followed by a drumming lesson. Residents lined the perimeter of the garden lounge and were treated to some slow and relaxing movements to loosen their joints before the drums came out.

African Djembe drums were handed around the group and residents began to make sounds by tapping different parts of the drum. The volume gradually increased as their confidence grew which drew in a few more of the shyer residents to sneak a peek at what was happening. As carers recognised the arrival of the new participants they were each passed their own drums. The intensity of the drumming continued to grow until a final chorus of vigorous drumming filled the air, to the rhythm of ‘nice-cup-of-tea’! Residents laughed and gave themselves a round of applause before they gradually departed, having burned off enough calories for a particularly hearty lunch.

Residents reconvened in the garden at 2:00pm for a ‘paint splat session’. Whilst the residents were tucking into their lunch, a few enthusiastic young men on work experience had been busy preparing the arena. Balloons were filled with brightly coloured poster paint and pinned to a large backdrop of lining paper.

With darts in hand, the team invited the parade of residents up the path, one by one residents stepped up to the mark, took aim and fired their darts in the balloons direction. Cheers erupted throughout the garden as each balloon was burst, revealing the brightly coloured paint inside which splattered dramatically onto the canvas. Some balloons were rather more explosive than the team had expected, and a few rouge splats made their way back towards the crowd, demonstrating the value of planning and the wise purchase of the water-based paint!

Resident Mary sported a rather fetching blue streak through her hair, but Mary didn’t let this bother her, nor did the few residents whose frames, and walkers that were redecorated. The residents were having so much fun that a little spray would not dampen the mood. As the darts continued to fly and more balloons met their end it became obvious that certain residents had some previous experience in throwing. With a particular degree of finesse one residents popped three balloons in a row, one after another.

Later that afternoon residents took part in a Zumba class, this proved challenging but very exciting and many departed from the prescribed moves to a more familiar dancing with partners. Whilst many entertainers will automatically default to the songs of old, the residents delighted in bopping around to modern day music.

The music got the residents dancing, clapping and laughed their way through the hour, swapping partners and spinning around the floor. Some of the residents were keen to show the young carers how it was done and the instructor herself was stolen for a dance on several occasions! Carers wrapped feather bowers around a few seated residents and performed their best shimmies to the delight of those watching. At the end of the hour both carers and residents were thoroughly worn out and as they left the lounge, they were cheerfully encouraged that a big cup of tea was needed to replenish their fluid levels.

Residents continued to recount the highlights of the day long into the evening and confirmed that they would like to see a repeat of each of the activities in the near future. A great day was had by all, a sign that the team did a truly marvellous job in ensuring the day was a success.

As a result, residents decided they wanted to learn more about Alzheimer’s and Dementia so that they could better help and understand those living at the home who have also been diagnosed. One of The Orders of St John Care Trust’s Admiral Nurses, Angie Williams, was invited to Langford View to give a dementia awareness presentation which included resources and information from Dementia UK, the organisation that funds Admiral Nurses.

Admiral Nurses work alongside people with dementia and their families, providing them with the specialist dementia support they need. They were named after the founder of Dementia UK, Joseph Levy CBE BEM, who himself had vascular dementia and was known affectionately as ‘Admiral Joe’ because of his love of sailing. OSJCT works closely with Dementia UK and was among the first care providers to employ its own specialist Admiral Nurses.

Angie’s presentation was well attended: residents were completely engaged with the subject and asked lots of questions throughout. Being sensitive to the fact that there may have been people in attendance who themselves live with dementia, Angie ensured the presentation was given in a manner that promoted the positive aspects of dementia as well as raising awareness of some of the difficulties people may experience.

Following the very informative session and refreshments, attendees all received a Dementia UK badge and further reading materials about dementia.

Langford View Home Manager, Farida Ait-Tales, said of the event: “I think it’s marvellous we were able to do this for our residents. Angie was able to inform them and answer their questions. It was a very successful session and I know residents got a lot out of it. It will help them understand how they can support their fellow residents and be sensitive to what their friends here at Langford View might be going through.”

Due to the success of this event residents have asked Angie along with Beverley Cotton, Langford View’s Activities Co-ordinator, to talk to them about attachment therapy and the role of reminiscence which is planned for Dementia Action Week in May.

To find out more about how OSJCT works with Admiral Nurses or what support is available at Langford View please phone the home on 01869 252343.

As a result, residents decided they wanted to learn more about Alzheimer’s and Dementia so that they could better help and understand those living at the home who have also been diagnosed. One of The Orders of St John Care Trust’s Admiral Nurses, Angie Williams, was invited to Langford View to give a dementia awareness presentation which included resources and information from Dementia UK, the organisation that funds Admiral Nurses.

Admiral Nurses work alongside people with dementia and their families, providing them with the specialist dementia support they need. They were named after the founder of Dementia UK, Joseph Levy CBE BEM, who himself had vascular dementia and was known affectionately as ‘Admiral Joe’ because of his love of sailing. OSJCT works closely with Dementia UK and was among the first care providers to employ its own specialist Admiral Nurses.

Angie’s presentation was well attended: residents were completely engaged with the subject and asked lots of questions throughout. Being sensitive to the fact that there may have been people in attendance who themselves live with dementia, Angie ensured the presentation was given in a manner that promoted the positive aspects of dementia as well as raising awareness of some of the difficulties people may experience.

Following the very informative session and refreshments, attendees all received a Dementia UK badge and further reading materials about dementia.

Langford View Home Manager, Farida Ait-Tales, said of the event: “I think it’s marvellous we were able to do this for our residents. Angie was able to inform them and answer their questions. It was a very successful session and I know residents got a lot out of it. It will help them understand how they can support their fellow residents and be sensitive to what their friends here at Langford View might be going through.”

Due to the success of this event residents have asked Angie along with Beverley Cotton, Langford View’s Activities Co-ordinator, to talk to them about attachment therapy and the role of reminiscence which is planned for Dementia Action Week in May.

To find out more about how OSJCT works with Admiral Nurses or what support is available at Langford View please phone the home on 01869 252343.