There are moments of joy and happiness in life that we will all remember for years to come.
These are the moments that define us – holidays, milestones, achievements and family celebrations. The ones we talk about over Sunday lunch or the ones we know our friends have heard before!
At Athena Care Homes we encourage our residents to revisit those memories and enjoy the excitement and delight of storytelling. We also want to help friends and families create new memories with their loved one because we believe Every Moment Matters.
This May we wanted to support Dementia Action Week, and highlight the amazing opportunities and experiences we offer at our place, to ensure that every moment matters.
We welcomed DeLoreons to Goodwins Hall in Kings Lynn for a resident’s birthday.
By recreating these activities, we are not only reigniting memories of happy times, we are also allowing residents to once again feel that joy of doing something they loved. That could be getting outside and sharing their knowledge about growing vegetables with our teams, singing in our choir with new friends, or cheering on their favourite football team.
Something that’s a little bit different, is our armchair travel sessions. These give our residents the freedom to explore new cultures, tastes and sights without leaving the comfort of their home. For those who have travelled extensively, it is chance to remember trips to far flung corners of the world.
This is especially beneficial for our residents living with dementia. A taste, smell or sound can help resurrect memories that may have been dormant for years, bringing back joy and happiness.
One unique activity at our homes is that we make wishes come true for residents during the year. This could be something as simple as flowers in their room, or as exhilarating as an indoor skydive!
Our residents at Aria Court in March, Cambs have been hatching chicks!
At Athena Care Homes we want to ensure that we make Ever Moment Matter for those in our local community too.
We run monthly Dementia Cafes at selected homes within the group, which are popular with families just starting out along the dementia journey.
Carers can seek advice about diagnosis, support and care for someone showing signs of dementia or recently diagnosed, while loved ones take part the fun activities from our Lifestyle’s teams.
Last month we held our inaugural Masquerade Ball at Goodwins Hall Care Home, creating a party atmosphere full of laughter, music, smiles and the scent of delicious food. In that moment, everyone involved was lost in the feel of the evening.
Importantly, our ball also supported the Dementia Care Appeal at Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn where they are fundraising for resources to provide an engaging and soothing atmosphere for patients living with dementia.
We work closely with the QEH and other hospitals across East Anglia to ensure our residents enjoy a seamless transition, feeling instantly at home and making new memories with friends, loved ones and our teams.
