This week at Hill House we organised a host of holiday activities to celebrate the summer holidays. From petting horses to competing in a ring toss tournament, the residents participated in a variety of themed activities that were both exciting and stimulating to the senses.
On Monday morning, we got busy crafting ice cream cone decorations in preparation for the beach party scheduled for later in the week. We used our own hands as templates before cutting out the shapes. It was a lot of fun to mix and match the coloured craft paper, and we were very pleased with the results.
Meanwhile in the garden view lounge, we honed our reflexes with a lively ball game. The physical activity really raised our spirits and got us energised.
In the afternoon, we had a splendid tea party in the main lounge. With our best bone china tea set in hand, those of us with a taste for the finer things were delighted with the aesthetic.
In the garden view lounge, we completed a series of puzzles and crosswords. It was wonderful to exercise our brains in a fun and creative way.
On Tuesday morning, we got busy in cooking club rustling up some sugar cookies. It brought back happy memories of baking sweet treats and delicious deserts.
In the afternoon, we worked our muscles in physiotherapy. We love that we can keep our bodies healthy while having fun with our friends.
Afterwards, we indulged our creative impulses with some flower arranging. It’s always a popular activity, as we love the colours, smells, and variation in the beautiful flowers.
On Wednesday Morning, some of us went on an excursion to Squires Garden Centre.
After a lovely cup of tea and slice of cake, we went to visit the various animals on display. We saw some small mammals, large pond fish, and exotic reptiles.
Meanwhile, in the main lounge, those of us who wished to participate were audience to a church service by Rev. Tara. She led us in some hymns and gave us Holy Communion.
In the garden view lounge, we participated in flower arranging club. Between us, we created some beautiful arrangements, and had a lot of fun doing so!
After lunch, it was time for music therapy. Today’s session was lively, as many of us played our instruments enthusiastically and sang beautifully. Some of us even sang in harmony!
In the main lounge, we spent the afternoon playing some whiteboard board games. Our favourite is probably the A-Z game, where we must think of words within a specific theme that begins with each letter of the alphabet. On this day, we did the A-Z of summer holidays.
On Thursday morning, we did some painting in the garden view lounge. We used canvases and easels for the professional experience. We loved expressing our creativity and getting our hands dirty!
In the main lounge, we were lucky to indulge in one of our favourite activities for a second time this week! Louise helped us arrange many stunning bouquets of flowers, and the results were brilliant.
In the afternoon, we all got together to attend a performance in the main lounge. A singer came and performed a variety of invigorating tunes for us, which we enjoyed very much. Some of us were content to sit and listen, while others got up and danced.
On Friday morning, we were treated to a visit from two very friendly Shetland ponies. Each of the two ponies spent time with us individually, allowing us to stroke their faces and give them a brush. It was very exciting, and it warmed our hearts to see and interact with such beautiful gentle creatures.
In the afternoon, we celebrated the end of the week with a beach party! We dipped our feet in the sand, enjoyed some ice cream, and indulged in a cocktail. We loved tossing around the beach ball and getting in the spirit of summer.
On Saturday morning, we unleashed our competitive spirit with a Ring Toss Tournament.
While initially it seemed like a fair fight, L and I ran away with the lead in the last round.
Meanwhile in the garden view lounge, we were acknowledging the passing of International Daffodil Day by colouring in some pictures of daffodils. The activity was soothing, and we felt a feeling of accomplishment having completed the task.
In the afternoon, we continued our celebration of International Daffodil Day with our participation in the ‘Things That Are Yellow’ picture quiz. Once we correctly guessed all of the yellow items, we laid them out on the table and admired our hard work.
Meanwhile, in the main lounge, we worked together to complete a giant crossword. It was fun to test our intellect after our morning exercise.
On Sunday morning in the main lounge, those of us who wished to participate in the live-streamed Sunday church service gathered in the lounge.
In the garden view lounge, we enjoyed a dementia-friendly church service. Caroline led us in song, and some of us got up and danced. It was a joyous morning.
After lunch, we played games that tested our coordination and reflexes on the omni interactive projector. It was immensely satisfying to see our movements impact the images on the screen.
