This week residents at Hillhouse have been celebrating all the fun and games that go along with St Patrick’s day traditions. Our activities team pulled out all the stops with their interactive activity musical pub cart visiting the whole home. The week also was jam packed with active games from ball toss to Bingo. The highlight for most residents was a trip onboard our Hill House airlines.
Monday morning, we started the Irish themed with a fantastic interactive Irish Quiz on the large screen in our day room. We gathered together to take on the questions together. This led to conversations about trips to Ireland and what our plans where to celebrated St Patricks Day this year we added a few things on as extra activities just to test the ladies.
As we age, our ability to retain information decreases. Fortunately, the more we draw on facts and information we’ve memorised over the years, the more likely they are to stay with us. Trivia acts as a workout for the frontal cortex and, like any workout, it strengthens that part of the brain and keeps the mind sharp.
That afternoon we got together to play a few rounds of Floor Bowls with each other. We love a bit of exercise in disguise and friendly competition.
In our garden view lounge, we enjoyed an afternoon of musical moments with singing and dancing to Abba music, we started with the Irish dancing but we ran out of puff, the disco theme of Abba was most popular.
Others spent time completed Irish themed anagrams and other brain training activity sheets.
Tuesday morning, our garden view lounge spilt into two, with a crafting club set up were we painted leprechauns and gold pots for a game later in the week.
Another small group gathered for morning game of Irish bingo, with an Irish them and pictures. By adapting our bingo game to have both pictures and words, we find it allows more of us to join in as some of us find it easier to match images and others find it easier hearing the word be called out.
In our day lounge we spent the morning, completing a series of fun Irish themed brain training puzzles from anagrams to word searches and word ladders. Mental abilities that tend to decrease with age include processing speed, reaction time, decision making, short-term memory and planning skills. Brain training may be helpful for sharpening these abilities and it may help reduce the risks of some age-related memory problems.
That afternoon our St Patrick’s Day celebrations where in full swing this afternoon our very own Leprechaun bar maids rolled their Interactive Music Pub around the home with a little jig as they went. The pub was overflowing with Irish coffee’s, Guinness, Gin & Tonics as well as bar snacks and cupcakes. We joined in the dancing and singing before sipping on our Irish afternoon tipples.
“ being Irish I love your dancing and these drinks are devine, Thankyou” – JW
We also enjoyed, alongside our interactive cart a small a game of bingo in our 1st floor garden view lounge. Winning chocolate prizes is the main reason we love to play plus its great to have fun with friends.
Wednesday morning our Therapy Goats were back in providing pet therapy sessions across the home. As hooves clicked as they trotted down the hallway and around the home, we just adore them and love watching them do tricks.
The entertaining nature of goats is among the qualities that make them excellent therapy animals. Their playfulness can bring people out of their shell, lift their spirits, and even lower blood pressure.
That afternoon we took a sensational trip to Ireland flying onboard Hill House airlines as part of our interactive armchair travel. While onboard our cabin crew and pilot demonstrated the flight safety video which was hilarious and very comical before they served our flight refreshments. Then it was time to sit back, watch the plane take off from the eye of the cockpit.
A group Irish sing along saw residents and stuff sing and dance together. It was a fabulous afternoon with lots of fun for everyone.
Thursday morning, St Patricks day sing along kick started our morning in our garden view lounge. Followed by odds and pairs card game and dominoes in small groups.
Our in-house hairdresser was here all day on Thursday giving us ample opportunity to visit the her for some pampering and friendly conversation with her and the other ladies in the salon.
Our floristry club gathered in the day lounge to arrange this week’s stunning floral arrangement ready to be displayed across the home. Plants and flowers oxygenate the air, boosting brain cells, which improves memory, clarity and concentration. Can be a boost for those with dementia or other memory impairments.
Others took trips out with their family to a local restaurant for a meal and a Pimm’s in the sunshine.
St Patrick’s Day we celebrated with a party in the afternoon the whole home came together to celebrate.
We the afternoon dancing and singing along to the fabulous Steve.
Friday morning, we engaged in therapeutic water colour painting as well as a group jigsaw puzzle. One of our residents has a passion for water colour painting but over the years has fallen out of love with it and stopped engaging in the activities but by sitting with friends in a no pressure environment she painted a stunning water colour and you could see in her face just how relaxed and zen she was all morning.
“I would never have thought I would have the chance to paint with water colours again, thank you for spending time with me to enjoy it.” – BA.
Our garden view lounges spent their morning reading the daily newspaper and playing giant snakes and ladders with carers. As well as taking part in group jigsaw puzzles across the home.
Our sensory therapy activities took part in quiet area of the day lounge. Playing soothing German music to start followed by piano music, helped to reduce agitation and encourage relaxation, helping to improve the overall well-being and quality of life for these individuals.
Others took walks in the gardens and went up to the pond to feed the fish.
That afternoon in the day lounge we engaged in Irish bingo. There were many shouts of joy and laughter. Winners got rewarded with yummy lucky Irish chocolate coins.
After spending some time sorting out threads ready for her upcoming crafts project.
Saturday morning our cooking club met in the day lounge, measuring and mixing out ingrediencies to make Irish soda bread. Making homemade bread, from the feel of the flour, the smell of breads, watching the dough rise all help to stimulate the senses and build up a healthy appetite ready for lunch time.
The best part of cooking club is eating our freshly baked food.
Sunday morning our weekly streamed services were offered across home while others chose to take in the morning newspapers.
One resident reignited his old passion of Photography – He shared with us that he used to love doing it – from taking photos to developing and printing them. It was so lovely to see him so enthusiastic and excited. We also appreciated him sharing some tips and tricks with us on how to capture amazing photos.
Sunday afternoon we relished in our “Irish Ball Toss” game. For getting the ball into the bucket / hat they we were rewarded with Shamrock Stickers and yummy Irish Chocolate Coins.
Our garden view lounge, took long walks in the court yard garden taking in the sensational spring sunshine or took on word searches to test their brains in a fun and engaging way.
