This week Hill House residents activities ramped up as we headed towards Christmas day, 3 little elves spent the week putting on a variety of festive activities that promote our wellbeing and focus our engagement. The elves treated us to an armchair travel experience to the North Pole, Christmas brain training games and even a pyjama party.
Monday morning was filled with fun engaging activities, we worked together to complete jigsaw puzzles and playing memory games and floor darts and mini golf in our garden view lounge.
A game of scrabble was played elsewhere in the home with a group of ladies sipping on tea while playing and keeping occupied in group conversations.
That afternoon cooking club mixed and rolled out gingerbread dough to cut out gingerbread cookies, in a variety of shapes. The popular and traditional shape was gingerbread men, we discussed the way to eat them and laughed at the fact we eat the head first, followed by arms.
Movement to music exercise class took place mid afternoon in our garden view lounge, with Christmas themed songs we stretched and danced to Rudolf the red noise reindeer and we completed the 12 days of Christmas songs with actions making everyone giggle as it sped up towards the end.
Others opted for a quieter afternoon of relaxing Aqua board painting and reminiscence.
Thank you so much the children at Fleet Infant School’s year R for spending us such creative and lovely Christmas Cards. We had a few happy tears and lots of BIG smiles as we sat and read out the cards and looked at the artwork.
Tuesday morning balloon bounce started our day in the lounge followed by tea, coffee and mince pies. The perfect way to start of our Pyjama party day.
Before lunch we played giant snakes and ladders working in teams, throwing the dice to race to the finish to win the chocolates. Participating in leisure activities helps improve physical well-being, emotional health, and cognitive functioning for those playing and provides engagement for those watching on.
Christmas therapeutic colouring of an angel to add to our art gallery wall.
Our Pyjama party was in full swing with our secret Santa singer playing guitar and singing for us as we danced and sung all afternoon to songs from 50’s, 60’s and of course Christmas classics.
Music triggers powerful positive emotions via autobiographical memories. A new neuroscience-based study has identified that specific music evokes personal memories, these songs have the power to elicit stronger positive emotions than other stimuli, such as looking at a nostalgic picture.
Wednesday morning started with a look through the daily newspapers.
Floor darts drew a big crowed and we took on the challenge of building up the biggest score to be crowned winner.
Arts and crafts club met in our garden floor lounge as we painted stunning water colour animal pictures, using our artist licence to shade and paint in different tones to create textures of fur or scales.
Wednesday afternoon, we were all invited to join a fantastic and exciting escapade, as Santa’s 3 helper elves took us on an armchair travel adventure to the North Pole!!
Using jingle bells and the magical power of singing we had to help fire up the virtual sleigh ride before take-off.
We completed the Christmas themed Quiz as the elves read out the questions and as a group, we shouted out answers or sung them.
The onboard refreshment cart was bursting with scrumptious festive treats, served by the onboard elves, we tucked into mulled wine and mince pies, while watching a short film about the history of father Christmas / Santa.
Thursday morning, we started the morning in garden view with tea and coffee, helping make drinks for everyone provides a great sense of achievement and promotes our independent.
We spent time playing board games or arranging this week’s floral arrangements as part of floristry club.
Others took trips to the hair dressers for some well-deserved pampering.
That afternoon’s brain training activities saw group whiteboard games take place in the lounge, Christmas hangman and the can you name that quiz. This was followed by a Christmas singalong with musical instruments.
Our water colour Christmas cards were finished in our garden view lounge as we gathered together around the art table with Christmas hymns in the back ground, it was a relaxing afternoon.
Friday morning, we started with filming a very special Christmas Eve video for our loved ones, we wore silly hats that danced on our heads, sung merry Christmas and recorded a short video to wish everyone a merry Christmas.
It was so fun seeing staff and residents join together for our Christmas video.
We sat and played a game of dominoes with friends in the lounge
Elsewhere we took advantage of a friendly four-legged visitor who was more than happy for all the fuss and love we were giving, even showing their best pose for the camera.
After lunch we settled down for a Christmas eve movie, Guys and Dolls was the movie we chose. Others spent the afternoon, enjoying family visits and reminiscing through photo albums.
Others arranged Christmas flowers that were delivered to the home into vases to make a Christmas table centre piece.
Christmas day was a fabulous day with a morning of opening gifts and spending time with friends and loves.
After our Christmas lunch we gathered around the TV to watch the queen’s speech. We were all in agreement at how incredible she looked in red and we all noticed the touching tribute to her late husband Prince Phillip.
Sunday morning, we watched a live streamed church service in the lounge, Sunday mass was held in one of our smaller snug lounges for those who wished to attend.
Our families and friends continued to visit all afternoon and we were so excited to see them. Picture pair games were played in small groups in the garden view lounge followed by board games.
