February 2025 Highlights

Erica with Dance and Music Therapy:
Erica leads a fun and therapeutic session where residents engage in dance and music activities. These sessions aim to improve mobility, boost mood, and enhance emotional expression, while fostering a sense of connection and joy through rhythmic movement and soothing sounds. Everyone loves the fun that she brings into the home!

Exercise Classes:
Exercise classes are tailored to the abilities of each resident, focusing on gentle movements to improve strength, flexibility, and coordination. These classes promote physical health, boost energy levels, and encourage social interaction, all while ensuring that everyone can participate comfortably and safely. A well deserved rest and cuppa when we are done!

Book Club:
In the book club this month we continued out book Once, residents come together to listen as the story progresses. We love to see where the story takes us next, through thrilling chases and incredible magical creatures, we are never left disappointed!

Louise the Saxophonist:
Louise’s saxophone performances always bring life into our home, filling the space with beautiful melodies. The music provides relaxation, and can even trigger fond memories, creating a powerful sensory experience that connects residents through the universal language of music. All singing and dancing along, she never fails to blow us away!

Wii Games:
Together we set up the Nintendo Wii, playing a variety of interactive games like Mini Golf and Wii Sports! Taking it in turns we competed to get the most points as we practiced our skills. Bowling was greatly enjoyed by many, with Mark being the most impressive and winning the whole game.

Darwin Day:
Darwin Day is an educational event celebrating Charles Darwin’s contributions to science. Residents participate in a quiz, where Barbara was the winner with 10/15 correct answers. It’s a fun way to engage our minds with interesting facts, while we learn. We also watched a two part documentary where we learnt more about his life and his research.

Café Trips:
Our relaxing café trips offer residents the opportunity to enjoy a change of scenery and socialize in a calming setting. Together we enjoy a few hot drinks and snacks while we chat and laugh together.

Valentine’s Show:
The Valentine’s Show is a special event where residents enjoy a wonderful performance by the wonderful Becky. It’s a celebration of love and friendship, giving everyone a chance to come together and enjoy an afternoon of music and laughter in honour of the season.

Valentine’s – Heart Cookie Decorating and Quiz:
We all got creative decorating heart-shaped cookies, with icing, marshmellows and chocolate, each one became a work of art! We then participated in a fun Valentine’s quiz. With Kelli, Shaun, and Paul winning with 9/10 correct answers, these activities brought a sense of creativity and competition to our romantic festivities.

Random Acts of Kindness:
For this day we worked one to one to write small compliments for others, from family, friends and staff, everyone had a little bit of love and appreciation. We all love doing this activity, such a small act can bring a smile to someone else’s face and can brighten their day.

Board Games:
Together we all played varied board games like chess, Scrabble, ludo, draughts and more! With fun, laughter and a little competition, the hours flew by. It is always so lovely to see everyone get together and connect over a game or two!

Emma the Artist:
Emma lead our art sessions where residents got to explore their creative side through painting. This session we created some beautiful flowery field scenes. Emma taught us how to use the paint for blending, how to layer our colours for the most effective finish and how to create some simple but effective flowers! These sessions not only promote fine motor skills and cognitive engagement but also offer a wonderful outlet for self-expression and emotional release.

Finger Painting:
Finger painting is a hands-on art activity that allows residents to explore colour, texture, and creativity in a tactile and enjoyable way. It encourages fine motor skills, sensory exploration, and a sense of accomplishment while creating beautiful, personal works of art. We all loved getting a little messy so we could create something beautiful!

Name That Song and Artist:
In this fun musical game, residents separated into teams and got a small hint for the song and listened to snippets of songs to try to guess the title and artist. It was a fun challenge to try and recall each artist. Each team worked together to try and identify the right answers. It was so lovely to see the discussions back and forth until they came to an answer!

Country and Western Day:
On the 25th, we celebrated our own Country and Western Day. For this we had a themed day where residents can enjoy a bit of the Wild West! We decorated our cowboy hats with flowers, ribbons, leaves and much more. In the afternoon we joined in a country-themed quiz where we explored country music, foods, drinks and culture. Then to finish the day right, we belted out our favourite tunes during a fun karaoke session.

General Knowledge Quiz:
The general knowledge quiz was an engaging activity where residents test their memory and knowledge on various topics. Barbara and Carol won with 14/15 correct answers, showcasing their sharp minds. Everyone loves our quizzes, they encourage mental stimulation, conversation, and a sense of friendly competition.

Paignton Pier Trip:
The trip to Paignton Pier provides residents with the opportunity to enjoy a change of pace and experience the sights and sounds of the seaside. It’s a chance for socialization, fresh air, and the excitement of playing on arcade machines. After lots of laughs and fun we retreated to a café where we sat out of the wind and got to enjoy a nice warm drink as we relaxed and chatted away.