Some residents opting to stay at care homes over Christmas so they don't miss out on festivities

An increasing number of care homes are putting on such an array of activities and festive entertainment, that some residents are choosing to stay in the care home over Christmas, instead of spending it at a relative's.

Recreation and activities coordinator, Robyn Taylor, at brighterkind’s Barchester Maple Leaf Lodge Care Home in Grantham, Lincolnshire, reveals that although some residents choose to leave the home over the festive period, others clear their diaries so as not to miss out on any upcoming events at the home.

She says: “Each resident is different, some spend Christmas day with us, while others go back to their children’s houses, a lot of family will organise their visits depending what is happening in the home.

“Residents love to get involved in activities throughout the week, weekends and evenings. One lady will circle the activities she wants to attend on her planner. We always leave other things out in the home to be doing so there’s a variety of things to be doing at the same time.”

Ms Taylor added: “In the run up to Christmas, the home will be decorated with the support of residents and the home's hostess - who used to be a florist will make flower arrangements with the residents for the mantelpieces in each lounge, as well as floral arrangements for other events including our Bistro night and our Christmas party to sell to raise money for the residents' funds.

Carols by candle light

“We have several events coming up in the home including a 'carols by candle light' event, where a local choir will perform and residents, relatives and the community will enjoy a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie.

“We're holding our Balmoral Bistro where we turn the ground floor into a five-star restaurant with an a la carte menu and a classy atmosphere. We have done this several times over the past couple of years and it has always been a great success. The families love the opportunity to have a meal in the resident’s home and it’s a chance for everyone to get dolled up.

“Every year we hold a Christmas party for the residents and their families, a small shopping experience, Christmas buffet and an evening of entertainment and dancing. Staff and their families will also come in to celebrate with the residents on their days off."

Care home group began their Christmas preparations as early as October. Customer relations manager, Laura Doswell at Barchester Maple Leaf Lodge Care Home care home in Bournemouth revealed that residents at the home began making Christmas cake and decorations in November and even enjoying a Christmas fayre at the home.

Ms Doswell said: “Meyrick Rise has been working with Marks & Spencer’s and Tesco to create hampers for the local community, helping to foster community links and supporting people who may live alone. While residents will be able to enjoy performances from musicians and entertainers, carol singers and hand bell ringers.

“In the few weeks before Christmas, the home is planning on hosting Christmas lunches for families of residents at the home and members of the local community who may otherwise spend Christmas on their own."

New approach

Earlier this year care home provider, , took a new approach to organising activities and entertainment in their homes by employing three regional activities executives to help ensure that residents have a say in the kind of activities and entertainment on offer in their homes.

Natalie Ravenscroft is a regional activities executive ‘or a RAE of sunshine’ for Ideal Carehomes and is responsible for activities in five of the group's North West homes.

She started working with the group earlier this year and has eight years’ experience working in the care sector as an activities coordinator.

She said: “We’ve got residents enjoying Christmas lunches, Pantomimes, and concerts taking place outside of the home, we’ve got groups of residents going to Liverpool Cathedral for a mass choir and we’ve had groups of residents attending local Christmas lights switch ons. This year we have some alternative Christmas events planned, including a saxophone quartet coming to De Brook Lodge and a bell ringing group coming to Brinnington Hall.

"As a group, we’re running ongoing competitions each month and the December competition will see staff and residents work together to decorate a Christmas tree how they choose and the winning home will get a prize."

Ms Ravenscroft added: “This year we wanted to make sure families could come for Christmas dinner and not have to worry about where they should spend Christmas day in order to see everyone, so we’re making our December monthly pop-up a Christmas lunch. It gives families that sense of relief knowing that they can still all of their loved ones but they don’t have to worry about seeing everyone on Christmas day itself."

The pop-ups allow care home residents to have a say in what will happen, they can pick a theme and book an act and invite friends and family for a small charge which goes back into the resident's fund. Ms Ravenscroft recalled one couple who turned down an outing with their son as they were worried they would miss out on a pop-up evening.

Pop-up Christmas lunch

“Residents can sit and enjoy the meal or the event, they stay seated and staff can’t believe the difference these types of events can have on their residents. One man recalled how in the three years of his wife being at the home, he’d been unable to take her out, but during one pop-up evening allowed him to feel as though they’d been on a date.

“It’s things like that that make the pop-ups so worthwhile. From a business perspective they may be viewed as an added cost but the impact they have completely outweighs that. They allow us to give something back to the families of residents in our homes, allowing them come in and enjoy a meal in a restaurant or a night out without even leaving the home.

Jingle Mingle

“We’re also running the ‘Jingle Mingle’ which was inspired by Age UK’s campaign ‘No one should have no one at Christmas’. We’ve created posters and have been advertising the chance for older people who live on their own near some of our homes to come and enjoy a free, three-course meal and an afternoon of entertainment during various dates across December in the run up to Christmas."

“Staff have become less task orientated and more focused on person-centred support. On a daily basis, care staff clear the tables in the home after breakfast and set up activity stations for residents if they want to choose to participate. This gives residents the option to take part when they want to and care staff can then choose to come and sit with residents when they have a quieter period.

“We’re trying to make sure that residents get the entertainment that they would like to see and we’ve been encouraging staff to come into the social committee meetings to listen to the feedback to help work out exactly what residents want in terms of entertainment in the home."