Care home connections bring festive gift and welcome benefits
Isn’t it fabulous when caring businesses get together? When organisations get the benefits of thoughtfulness from caring individuals in business? When those who care for loved ones get to reap the rewards and when those in need of care get a helping hand?
Denmead Grange Care Home has a Home Services Advisor, Nikki Shepherd whose role is to help families learn about their home and to make community connections.
Nikki helps families discover what Denmead Grange has to offer for their loved one and to help the Community connect and learn about how Denmead Grange is a warm and very homely care home offering them support too. One such connection came to benefit a wonderful group just yesterday.
Waterloville Community Centre has a hugely popular, well run and attended Memory Café. It has been running for many years, on the first and third Monday of each month from 2-4pm. Nikki has been a long term supporter of theirs from her previous role as a specialist Dementia Coach in the NHS and this continues now as she represents Denmead Grange.
Monday 15th was the Waterlooville Memory Cafe Christmas Party, their large team of volunteers had pulled out all the stops to supply a feast of entertainment, treats, smiles and surprises. There were platters of plump sandwiches, clotted cream and jam scones, scrumptious cakes and buttery mince pies.
There was the largest raffle you’ve ever seen, fabulous singing from Melody Makers and the entire event had a happy seasonal truly family feel with glittery outfits, bright jumpers and dancing toes!.
Guests at this glorious party received handmade gifts of fridge magnets and home-made chocolates and then at the end there was an unexpected special gift presentation.
Nikki had been speaking with Memory Café organiser and Waterlooville Community Centre Trustee Paul Tansom (who is also a local Councillor and Havant’s Deputy Mayor). This conversation was prompted by a recent incident, which had highlighted the lack of any wheelchair provision at the Centre. A quick call by Nikki to Joe at Cavendish Mobility in Waterlooville; he and his dedicated team decided to donate a new wheelchair and chair bag for exclusive use in the centre and especially for the Memory Café.
The presentation by Cavendish Mobility was made to Paul on behalf of WCC at the end of the Memory Café Christmas party. So not only had their wonderful volunteers created gifts galore for all the café participants but indeed they had received a much needed life affirming gift for the benefit of their group.
It was a joy to behold and there was a rousing speech of thanks by Paul and clearly much appreciation from all present. Joe was delighted to make this seasonal gift from Cavendish; "We are a caring local company, we look after our customers and on learning from Nikki of Denmead Grange, we simply had to step in and help the Community Centre and Memory Cafe. It is a real pleasure to do so."
Nikki said: "I’ve worked with Cavendish Mobility, they are a generous and caring company and I’m delighted to have facilitated this new connection. They, like Denmead Grange focus on helping individuals and like us they really care. Thank you to Cavendish and Joe!"
Paul said: "Thanks to Nikki from Denmead Grange Care Home and Joe from Cavendish Mobility who made this possible. A wheelchair has been desperately needed at the Waterlooville Community Centre and this kind donation will be an invaluable help."
It proved to be a very wonderful way to round of a fabulous happy seasonal event. Everyone left fuller, happier and dare we say even a little more full of Christmas Spirit? Some of the raffle prizes were quite literally so!
Denmead Grange care home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals. Denmead Grange provides residential and dementia care for 60 residents from respite care to long term stays.