“We love making Christmas magical for our residents” say team members at festive care home

Barrowhill Hall, a 74-bedroom residential and nursing home, in Rocester, on the Derbyshire/Staffordshire border, specialises in caring for those living with dementia and memory loss. They also have a separate modern household Churnet Lodge for those living with Young Onset Dementia which occurs before the age of 65.

The home’s December calendar has been bursting with festive activities ahead of the big day, making Christmas a truly special time.

“We love making Christmas magical for our residents,” said Kerry Butts, the home’s activities lead. “Lots of our residents’ friends and family members have joined with our events too so it’s been extra special being able to spend that time all together. We support them as much as we support our residents, we are like one big family.

“We’ve especially enjoyed the wreath making because that was a new activity here. It was a lot of fun and very therapeutic for everyone involved! We could have done it for longer! Seeing the smiles on our residents’ faces when we do things like this is priceless.”

The wreath making session was taken by Claire Clowes, the daughter of residents Mr and Mrs Telfer also known as Frank, 94 and Jenny, 93, who both moved into the home earlier this year.

Alongside wreath making residents have been busy making homemade decorations, which are in pride of place around the home, baking mince pies and decorating gingerbread men. They have enjoyed a Christmas party at the church’s Dementia Café, a visit from the donkeys who met residents in the home’s lounge as well as in their bedrooms and they have enjoyed lots of live music from the Rocester church choir, an accordion player and a wind band.

Christmas Day at the home will begin with the team handing out gifts to all the residents in the home’s lounge and in their bedrooms. Everyone will enjoy a homemade Christmas dinner with all the trimmings and residents are looking forward to watching the King’s speech on the TV. Residents’ family and friends will also visit and be part of the big day.

“Val and Ruth from the lifestyle team will be handing out the presents with Santa on Christmas morning,” Kerry continued. “It’s become their tradition, and they love it. The team get so much enjoyment from watching our residents open their presents and being part of their special day.”

Care home manager, Dania Meadows says, “I’m really proud of the team, they can’t do enough for the residents. We’ve done so many fantastic festive things all together and it’s heart-warming that the team enjoy it as much as the residents do. We’re certainly going to have a very Merry Christmas.”