This week saw the highlight of our Valentines celebrations across the home with a special lunch and cupids’ gifts. We then moved into the final week of the winter Olympics and residents had so much fun trying out new games themed around the Olympics. They tested their brains with a mixture of brain training activities throughout the week.
Monday morning was a day of love and friendship as we celebrated Valentine’s Day, we helped decorate the home with decorations and took part in a fun Valentine’s Day photo shoot.
Others spent time completing jigsaw puzzles and brain training word search games.
Our Valentines lunch was second to none the tables were highly decorated with themed napkins and personalised table mats. We sat with friends, sipping on wine, taking in the lovely occasion.
A very special couple were treated to a private Valentines dining experience.
Set up in a quiet area of the home they were tended to by our very own Cupid, who started the experience by serving wine. Giving the couple time to reminisce on 70years of love and marriage.
After lunch cupid visited all residents with our musical singalong cart playing love songs as they handed each of us a rose and wished us a happy Valentine’s Day.
We loved to share our own love stories with one another and had a fab time singing along to the love songs.
A special sensory stimulation therapy group took place on Tuesday morning, helping those with dementia and other ages related illnesses by touching and feeling everyday objects to trigger positive emotions and memories. Using everyday objects to stimulate senses can trigger emotions and memories in our residents, some who have lost their ability to connect with the world around them.
We also took part in a digital quiz on the big screen, themed around sport and the Olympics. A fabulous way to start our Olympic themed week.
That afternoon we played board games and helped out with activities of daily living matching up socks into pairs and folding ready to go away.
Others in our garden view lounge immersed themselves in n afternoon of baking.
Baking can help to bring back memories, stimulate the senses, improve appetite (which can encourage a better relationship with food) and it’s great for keeping the brain active, as it involves weighing and measuring.
Our arts and crafts group met in the lounge and painted the iconic Olympic rings ready for a group game later in the week. We painted and chatted it was a fabulous social afternoon.
On the afternoon tea round we were delighted to see our baked biscuits and we couldn’t wait to try them.
We celebrated a very special gentleman’s birthday with singing and cake. The two best ways to celebrate a birthday.
Wednesday morning, we spent time reading our morning newspapers in our garden view lounge. Elsewhere we looked through family photo albums and reminisced about holidays and trips away with family.
Our magic Omi table was a great source of fun on Wednesday morning as we swiped and painted our way through a variety of different engaging activities.
That afternoon we took on our first Olympic inspired sport, as we played the Olympic ring toss in our garden view lounge an easy way to mix exercise with fun and games.
This week’s brain training activity was a giant crossword a large crowed gathered and while sipping on tea and coffee, we worked hard to complete the clues and fill the crossword board.
Thursday morning therapeutic painting class saw us paint stunning water colour greeting cards.
Painting classes enable us to make new friends and use social skills in a very relaxed, no pressure atmosphere. Painting forces people to use both sides of their brain simultaneously. This helps creativity and increases cognitive function.
Our weekly floral delivery was bright and bold this week. The smell of freshly cut flower filled the lounge and a large group joined the table to create this week’s flower arrangements for the home.
That afternoon we started our in-house Curling competition. We loved taking on this energetic curling game inspired by the Winter Olympics and team GBs success so far.
Curling is a form of aerobic exercise plus the sweeping motion involved in directing the rock increases heart rate and improves your cardiovascular system.
Thursday also saw us visit our inhouse hairdresser. A regular salon visit could provide sensory cues linked to appearance (through scents and perfume) which could be useful for reminiscence.
What’s more, hairdressers are often ‘unofficial therapists’, providing emotional support and a close and regular relationship for people with dementia.
Our garden view lounges took part in flower arranging activities and the afternoon was filled with laughter as we chatted about gardening and the windy weather outside.
Storm Eunice saw a power cut in our local area but undeterred our wonderful incredible activities team entertained us as we sung campfire songs under torch lights, shared stories of our association with the guides or scouts over the years. Before we knew it the power was back.
We spent our Friday morning playing mini golf in our garden view lounge.
We also played shape puzzle games, card games and took part in other sensory activities, including our fidget muffs.
Else where the Olympic ring toss game was back out and we had a lovely time working to build up our scores.
Friday afternoon our in-house curling competition continued. We have been so inspired by the Great British men and women who our currently going for gold we couldn’t wait to take our turn.
We played an Olympic sport A to Z name game on Friday afternoon in the lounge. Trying to name as many sports as we could think of that would have been part of the Olympics over the years.
Saturday morning, we raced bobsleighs across the floor in another exciting Olympic sporting game.
Other played a group game of floor bowls and we paired up to better our chances of being crowned winners.
We also spent time on our handyman fidget board and played the grand Prix board games before lunch.
That afternoon we watched the only film we could think of that is linked with the winter Olympic ‘Cool Runnings’.
We were delighted to welcome back Tiny for an afternoon of pet therapy alongside our movie afternoon, he is the perfect lap sized friend.
Sunday morning, we watched the live church services across the home and other participated in our Sunday coffee morning social.
The afternoon a few of us watched the Olympic closing ceremony or read the daily newspaper at the table and even challenged ourselves to build a maze of cogs.
