Residents at Hill House have been moving with the Autumn season and celebrating harvest time the week. A wide range of activities were on offer through out the week included plating a harvest loaf, sensory autumn trays, a harvest singalong and a new fun group game of lawn darts. A Sunday harvest festal streamed church service was the perfect ending to our harvest festival celebrations.
Monday morning, we started the day with a game of dominos and some relaxing reading.
After lunch we took on the giant crossword for the week, challenging ourselves to solve the clues and complete the puzzle. Others played board games together or helped create the stunning harvest themed display table.
Tuesday morning saw us all meet in the lounge for our monthly residents meeting, we speak about the care and service we receive and all the upcoming events, it is an essential part of our inclusion in our care. We always enjoying chatting with the directors and having tea and cake together.
Seeing the leaves changing on the trees around us we couldn’t wait to explore the autumn sensory trays, bursting at the seams with conkers, pine cones, rose nip, sycamore seeds and the unmistakable Autumn crunchy dry leaves in an array of vibrant oranges, reds and golden yellows.
Garden view lounge inspired by the autumn themed took part in a harvest singalong, singing ‘all things bright and beautiful and we plough the fields’ which inspired a piano playing session, it was a very social activity as we all have varied ability and loved helping one and other out .
Wednesday morning Garden view lounge explored the Autumn sensory trays, the leaves over night had changed colour slightly as they had started to dry out giving stunning two tones effects and crisper edged perfect for rustling and triggering memories of long walks in the woods and hearing the crunch under foot. We found a bunch of sycamore seeds, throwing them in the air then watching as they twizzle down like tiny helicopters to the ground.
Alternatively, as part of our arts and craft club, we painted autumn leaves and tried our hands at leaf rubbing.
In the garden view lounges we spent the afternoon taking part in arts and crafts club and creating stunning autumn wreaths. Others enjoyed sensory games these are good for our hand-eye coordination as well as memories as we have to try and remember how certain things work. In the lounge as part of brain training activities they completed a group word game, trying to find hidden words within words relating to autumn and harvest.
Harvest Festival used to be celebrated at the beginning of the Harvest season on 1 August and was called Lammas, meaning ‘loaf Mass’. Farmers made loaves of bread from the new wheat crop and gave them to their local church. They were then used as the Communion bread during a special mass thanking God for the harvest. Inspired by the history of the harvest loaf, we were eager to try our hand at bread making and shaping into traditional loaf shapes.
Thursday afternoon was filled with the fresh sent of flowers. Flower arranging is a popular activity at Hill house, because it encourages laughed, we socialise as a group chatting and enjoying one and other company, all while complimenting one another on our artistic skills, and it feels good that we could do something that would benefit everyone around us.
Others spent the afternoon playing dominos, doing brain training word searches, playing games on the interactive activity centre and visiting the hairdresser.
Friday morning was overflowing with a wide variety of physical activities across the home, started with chair based gentle exercises followed by bean bag toss, floor bowls and a game of tennis.
Friday afternoon we took part in a giant cross word puzzle and hosted a birthday celebration party in the lounge, with cake, teas and coffees. Garden view lounge spent the afternoon enjoying a pamper session, with classical music playing as we enjoyed hand massages and manicures.
Saturday morning, we tried out a new game indoor lawn darts it is a game of accuracy, as we attempted to get points by landing our dart in the target area. The lounge was filled with laughter and friendly completion we even roped the staff in to try and help build up our score averages. Others opted for a quitter Saturday morning of reading the daily papers and exploring the reminisce boxes.
The afternoon was filled with tender moments as we made the most of visits with our families.
a game of giant scrabble was played in the main lounge followed by a game of snooker.
Sunday morning, we streamed the harvest festival church service from All Saints, Crondall and St Mary’s, Ewshot. the service was a celebration of the food grown on the land. … Harvest Festival reminds Christians of all the good things God gives them. A catholic mass service was also held on Sunday morning, giving us the opportunity to hold mass and say our prays to God. Others enjoyed completed the word games in their Sunday papers, playing card games and completing jigsaw puzzles.
Sunday afternoons film club met and chose to watch a David Attenborough documentary, it was a redressing change and everyone loves to watch our national treasure explore nature. Garden view lounge relaxed and took part in therapeutic water colour painting as they painted autumn water colour scenes on cards. others opted for a high pressured game of Jenga.
