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Keeping connected As Barley Manor Care Home marks its first winter, we take a look at how its daily Connect Together tradition helps chase away the seasonal blues E very day, the staff at Barley Manor Care Home are encouraged to take a moment, whenever suits them, to
connect with residents in their home. This could be in the form of a walk in the garden, a game of chess or even a cup of tea in the cafe. This regular occurrence builds relationships within the home and promotes conversation between individuals who might not typically cross paths, meaning residents will have a wide variety of people to share their lives with. This custom – called Connect Together – is observed across all Porthaven Care Homes, enabling new friendships to form and allowing everyone to take a step back to enjoy life’s simple pleasures together. Spending time enjoying an activity while sharing stories and friendly chats can not only spark long-forgotten memories, but is a great way to beat loneliness too. Mood boosters With the fun and excitement of Christmas over, January can seem like a bleak time at the start of the new year. The expert staff at Barley Manor are ready to tackle this challenge head on, with a packed programme of activities and entertainment for their residents to help distract from the dark days and gloomy weather. Every Porthaven home has a dedicated, qualified team of Activities and Wellbeing Coordinators who understand and support their residents in spending their time however they would like. Porthaven is also a leading member of the National Activity Providers Association (NAPA), which champions the idea that living a full life should be at the heart of care for older people. Working closely with NAPA, Porthaven offers a wide- ranging selection of activities within the home and local community, nurturing a lifestyle for each resident that is both meaningful and fulfilling. For example, an assortment of regular weekly clubs and fun activities include gardening, arts and crafts, films in the cinema and trips to local sites of interest on the minibus. All these activities are led by the expert care home staff, helping to stimulate and engage their residents, encourage creativity, interpersonal skills, self-expression and a sense of belonging. Diet and movement Regular exercise is another excellent way to chase off the seasonal blues, and at Barley Manor Care Home there are
weekly exercise sessions that aim to boost endorphins, as well as maintaining strength and stamina. For those less mobile residents, seated sessions are available to get the feelgood serotonin chemicals pumping, and one-to- one exercise activities for residents needing more specialist physical therapies. Getting outdoors for some fresh air and sunshine is another proven mood booster. The enclosed gardens at Barley Manor offer a safe environment in which residents can catch some vitamin D and enjoy the garden with others. TAKING IT EASY To beat the January doldrums, Porthaven Care Homes host activities, games and exercise of all kinds
Barley Manor Care Home in Great Shelford offers high-quality, 24-hour residential, nursing, dementia and respite care in a stylish, comfortable environment. For more information, see porthaven.co.uk/barley- manor-great-shelford
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