The Friends of Alexander Care support the work of the home. Situated within Lewisham, London, Alexander Care Home is a purpose built 78 bedded care home offering Dementia, Nursing, Residential, Respite and End of Life care. Alexander Care Home also provides specialist care for young people with physical disabilities.
The Friends aim to improve the quality of life of the residents of the care home by working with staff, residents and relatives.
The Friends of Alexander Care are looking to develop services on the site. We have found that this is particularly valued by some residents who through deteriorating health do not have the confidence to come out of their rooms. Alongside this we support the care homes’ activities’ coordinators by providing extra pairs of hands during organised activity sessions and outings.
Christmas festivities - Alexander Care
This season, Friends of Alexander Care are making sure that no one is left out of the Christmas festivities. To make the season a little warmer for the residents at Alexander Care we delivered 12 bottles of prosecco for them enjoy. We wish all the residents and staff a very Merry Christmas from the Friends of Alexander Care team.
Tea Dance at Greenwich
Entelechy Arts enables those who have become a part of marginalised communities due to their disabilities, underlying health conditions or the ageing process to become contributing members of society through the arts. Established in 1989, artists worked alongside multi-disciplinary health teams to support adults with learning disabilities to move back into their communities.
They now specialise in art forms such as dancing, singing, theatre and more, in order to increase participation across generations and cultures, enabling residents, at organisations such as Friends of Care Homes, to feel present and engaged in the world.
Three nursing homes; Alexander, Tower Bridge and Aspen Court, made an appearance at the bi-annual Elizabethan Tea Dance held at the Queens house in Greenwich on Wednesday, 11th July 2018. Free lunch was provided, along with some ice cream on the terrace which turned out to be the highlight of the day for George, a resident from the Albany Care Home. Residents also had the chance to make new connections with the volunteers and elderly from other communities during this event.
Associate artist Christopher Green was welcomed, dressed up as Queen Elizabeth 1st. “He is being transformed isn’t he”, one resident said, amused as Chris was turning into the Queen. The Meet Me Choir, who are part of Walking through Walls (an Entelechy Arts programme commissioned by Attend), were invited to perform at the event and were then joined by the residents of the Alexander Care Home and other Meet Me members who had the chance of helping Chris transform into the Queen.
The residents were given the opportunity to appreciate some dancing from the Elizabethan era while a harp was being played in the background. “I think I am dreaming, I haven’t woken up yet; look at that harp, haven’t seen a harp in ages. You do spoil us”, said one resident from Alexander Care.
The event allowed the residents to form new memories as well as an opportunity to reminisce about their past. Harry from Alexander Care spoke fondly of his memories, “I was here in the 1950’s! I was in the navy. There was the navy hospital (pointing). We used to walk up and down here all dressed up in our officers uniform”. Another resident, Joan, also had the chance to reconnect with her past on the journey to the event, pointing out places where she lived and used to work. She also added, “The problem with where we live is that nothing much happens, it’s lovely to go out and see something different. I used to do all of this”.
As important as reminiscing is, so is forming new memories. A volunteer stated that the Tea Dance event allowed just that and added, “new memories are important as you get older”. Although some residents had forgotten the whole event by the time they got back on the bus, they said that they had had a wonderful time and their family members had also noticed a significant difference in their mood.
Participating in interactive arts allows people to connect with those from similar marginalised communities, to feel productive and to have an active role in society. Entelechy Arts played a big role in making a positive impact on those who attended, by simply allowing the residents to be productive, which Harry would agree with, “that was great because you really feel like you’ve done something with your day”. It demonstrated the effects that interactive arts can have on those who feel excluded and help them feel a part of active society.
Friends of Alexander – Garden Project
On 24th May 2018 Friends of Alexander received a grant from Tesco’s Bags of Help to purchase garden furniture and a range of tactile plants.
Friends of Alexander are a group of enthusiastic volunteers who aim to improve the well-being of the residents of Alexander Care Home. Friends of Alexander can now support residents in gardening activities to help them stay healthy and socially engaged.
The benefits of gardening are endless but most importantly it is an excellent exercise. Moving around in the garden and looking after the plants means the residents will be able to increase physical strength, mobility and hand grip without putting excessive strain on their bodies.
Thanks to an improved garden, residents will have the ability to harvest their own plants which will be a perfect topic to discuss with others over a cup of tea at the new tables and chairs. A sense of accomplishment in plant growing will give residents a boost of confidence and improve their mental well-being. Additionally, gardening outdoors means spending more time in the sun. Thanks to this residents will notice a positive change in their mood as well as find themselves more stress-relieved.
Gardening in a care home is a way for residents to get together. With this project, specially-trained volunteers will engage with the residents to cultivate and enjoy the gardening hobby together. A responsibility shared between the residents will give more opportunities to socialise, build new friendships, and eventually bond with other residents or volunteers.
Spending more time in the garden is an opportunity for an exciting learning process. Residents will have the ability to gain new skills and spark an interest in something that they might not have had an interest in before. This means that regular garden-tending will keep the residents’ mind active which is a helpful technique in Alzheimer’s and dementia care.
With the combined efforts of Friends of Alexander, the staff and the volunteers at Alexander Care Home, the residents will be given a therapeutic chance to make the most out of their garden and health, and as a result, age gracefully.
Volunteering opportunities
We know your time is valuable and any time you can spare for us will make a big difference. You could volunteer at a one off event or regularly, it is entirely up to you.
If you don’t see a volunteering opportunity to suit you then please get in touch because we could develop an opportunity just for you. If you would like to volunteer please download the application form and return by email to info@friendsofcarehomes.org.uk
Befriending
- A friendly approachable manner
- Good interpersonal and communication skills
- Helpful disposition with an interest in local community
When: Monday – Sunday (AM or PM)
How long: 3 hours a week
How to apply: please download the application form and return by email to info@friendsofcarehomes.org.uk
Lunch Time Companion “Let’s Do Lunch”
- Patience and understanding
- A calm relaxed nature
- A friendly approachable manner
- Good interpersonal and communication skills
When: Monday – Sunday (Lunch Time)
How long: 1 - 2 hours a week
How to apply: please download the application form and return by email to info@friendsofcarehomes.org.uk
