Care home activities coordinator working six-day week to help residents 'stay happy' during pandemic

An activities coordinator at a care home in Kent is currently working a six day week so she can help residents “stay happy” and has found she has got closer to both staff and residents during the pandemic.

Kay Hawkins, social activities facilitator at Barnes Lodge Care Home in Tonbridge, began working for Rapport Housing & Care as a care worker and would fill in for the activities coordinator when needed. She enjoyed it so much that when a vacancy came up she applied and got the job.

“I haven’t looked back since!” says Ms Hawkins. “I am currently doing six days a week at Barnes Lodge because of the pandemic, we can’t have lots of visitors and entertainers in the home at the moment and I just wanted to keep as much normality for the residents as possible, I want them to stay happy regardless of what is going on in the outside world.”

During the pandemic, she has learnt that keeping the residents mentally and physically stimulated isn’t all about putting on “big activities every day”.

Instead she has found “it is all about spending time sitting with residents, having chats and drinking cups of tea. I know it sounds like such a cliché, but it is true regardless – COVID-19 really has brought everyone closer together. This really is a home; we are a family”.

With the hairdresser currently unable to visit the care home, Ms Hawkins has been doing resident Catherine’s hair.

Catherine said: “I don’t know what I would do without Kay! She is friendly, so friendly and you don’t even feel like she is a worker here, she is just so good to us. I normally go to activities in the afternoon, I love the word games and I really enjoy it. I get some one to one time with Kay on a Monday, although I could do with her 24/7! I miss her so much when she isn’t here.”

One of the most popular activities Ms Hawkins is currently running is Knitter Knatter, which is a chance for residents to have a chat and socialise whilst knitting together.

“We are all very relaxed and that is when the residents open up and let me know what type of things they would like to do with their week, I am a firm believer in sitting down with everyone and finding out what they genuinely want to do – that is so important to me,” says Ms Hawkins.

She adds: “We are all trying to adapt to the current situation, and I am learning a lot of new skills – I can even roll hair now and I am not too bad at all!

“I do miss the normality and the hustle and bustle of the people coming and going, but it has truly been amazing to get even closer to residents and learn even more about them. I feel very lucky to be with them during these uncertain times.”

Nicky Pett, general manager at Barnes Lodge revealed that “every member of staff has made me so proud this year, they have all worked so hard and continue to put the residents first, regardless of what they are facing”.

“We know how important activities are to the home, it really does make everyone so happy and the staff do a wonderful job of keeping residents entertained during these rather strange times,” she said.

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