Residents Enjoy a Varied Activity Programme
Activities are more than an opportunity to keep our Randolph Hill residents entertained.
Activities for older people in nursing homes play a key role in supporting wellbeing by providing mental and physical stimulation, which contribute to remaining healthy, fulfilled, and happy.
You can view an example weekly activity programme here.
Whether it’s tailored exercise sessions, social engagement, fulfilling hobbies, games of skill or fun, sensory stimulation, or reminiscence, activities come with a host of benefits.
The Benefits of Activities for People Living in Care Homes
- They can promote social interaction and help build friendships
- They can provide structure to the day
- They can give residents a sense of belonging and importance
- They provide a sense of purpose and achievement
- Physical activities can help improve balance, coordination and muscle strength
- Regular physical activities can help lower risk of heart disease and stroke
- They can help with thinking skills like problem-solving and memory
- Social activities can reduce feelings of loneliness, stress and boredom
- Introducing activities throughout the day can help residents to enjoy a better quality of sleep at night
Activities are a Great Way to Introduce New Residents
Moving into a care home can be difficult for some people, with the challenge of meeting new people and building new friendships. If a resident is finding the transition difficult, activities are often an ideal way to help them feel more at home.
Activities bring structure, purpose, fun, and social interaction into the day. They are a way to meet people, reminisce, make connections, and discover new hobbies or interests. All of these can then help lessen any worry or stress that a resident may be experiencing.
Adapting Activities for Everyone
Our person-centred approach doesn’t just apply to our care, it also comes into play when organising activities in our homes, as we tailor activity programmes to the likes and dislikes of residents, making them as personal as possible.
We’re always adapting our activity calendars and exploring new possibilities to bring as much variety and enjoyment as possible.
A resident may be a keen gardener, a regular at pub quizzes, or perhaps they’re renowned for their baking skills. At Randolph Hill, we get to know if someone has a particular interest or a life-long hobby, and we’ll try to create an activity around it so that they can continue doing the things they love, and find comfort in.
We’ll also adapt our approach in line with residents’ particular conditions or abilities.
Activities can be used as a therapy or a preventative measure to improve the quality of life for people living with conditions like dementia, visual impairment, or a physical disability. Our team are trained to know which activities to introduce to suit all needs, so no one is ever left out.
Activities are Optional
No one likes compulsory activities. We gently encourage everyone to get involved, but if a resident isn’t feeling up to taking part in an activity on any particular day, or prefers just to spend time on their own, that’s absolutely fine.
That doesn’t mean that residents will be left completely on their own if they don’t want to join in with group activities. Our team can check in to see if there’s anything else that they would like to do, or just have a chat over a cuppa.
For those residents who are feeling keen when it comes to activity time, we may even ask them to help us set up or give us a hand, as it’s a great way to help them feel useful.
Getting Out and About
We don’t just plan entertainment within our care homes, every Randolph Hill location has regular access to our company minibuses, so we can take residents on day trips in the local area too. We often head to local tourist spots, or places of interest, visit the shops, or even the pub. As with our in-home activities, we’re open to suggestions from our residents and their loved ones, so that we can plan days out that they’ll love.
We Often Have Visitors
On top of the visits from friends and family, we host regular visitors who provide additional activities. From choirs to comedians, and even an ice cream van, we’ve welcomed all sorts of entertainment to our homes.
It’s not only humans that drop by. Therapets regularly visit to spend time with our resident animal-lovers.
What to Expect
Our example weekly activity programme will give you a good idea of an average week for our residents and, as you can see, there’s plenty of variety with something to suit everyone’s tastes.
For those who enjoy a discussion or brainteaser, we look at the latest news stories and have regular quizzes. For those who like getting hands-on, we have a range of seasonal crafts and gardening activities that include drawing, knitting, and crochet. For those that love a pamper, we offer hand massages, meditation and music therapy.
