The Friends of Aspen Court support the work of the home. Situated within Poplar in London. Aspen Court Care Home is a purpose built 75 bedded care home offering Dementia, Nursing and End of Life care
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 Aspen Court 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.
Friends of Aspen Court update
In less than a month it feels like everything has changed. As I was looking at my diary for March, we had committee meetings planned for most homes, and lots of volunteers on the brink of starting. I did get to a Dementia Cafe in very early March but within days we were having to look at everything differently.
Dear Care Home Friend,
In less than a month it feels like everything has changed. As I was looking at my diary for March, we had committee meetings planned for most homes, and lots of volunteers on the brink of starting. I did get to a Dementia Cafe in very early March but within days we were having to look at everything differently.
In all homes, we have no volunteers going in. Understandably, most care homes won’t even allow families to visit residents except in very extenuating circumstances.
We regularly hear from volunteers who want to help, to continue to do something to support the residents and staff of the home that they are supporting. If any of you have any thoughts about something volunteers might practically do, please let us know.
So what are we doing? The King’s Fund, where our offices are located, shut down at very short notice. The last few hours looked a bit like we are passengers on the Titanic grabbing the essentials for an unknown period in the lifeboats. At this point, the care homes support team are all set up to work from home.
You may continue to hear from Sona who is totally reviewing and updating all our records relating to volunteers. We are contacting some as part of the process. Also we are continuing to have regular enquiries from people who want to get involved once we come out the other side of this current situation. We are processing their applications, taking up references etc.
Alongside this Said and Kim are getting the financial records up to date. Today is the last day of the care home groups financial year, so there is plenty to do to prepare the draft accounts.
Alongside this we are continuing to look for funders who might support the projects you have told us you would like to do.
So, while perhaps less physically present, we are continuing to work hard to ensure these projects are in the best position they can be, once we return to practical day to day volunteering in the homes.
Once again, if you have any ideas on what else we might do now, do get in touch. In the meantime, do stay safe and well.
With very best wishes
Nichole Wheaton
Head of Projects Delivery
Tel: 020 7307 2570
Email: nichole.wheaton@attend.org.uk
Web: www.attend.org.uk
Nahid Ahmed - Case Study

Aspiring to be a nurse, Nahid is currently studying Health and Social Care at undergraduate level. At first, when looking for opportunities to apply the skills he learnt from school in real-life situations, he struggled. However, one of his professors at his university gave him a list of volunteering places and this led him to find the Friends of Aspen Court Care Home.
Nahid volunteered with the Friends for a while and is now one of the working members of staff for the care home. He explains, “As long as I have that unconditional drive to care for the residents, I’ll be happy to help them no matter the situation – whether I am working or volunteering”.
Whenever Nahid visited the residents at the care home, as a volunteer, he enjoyed joining in with them as creativity splashed through their minds, painting whatever their hearts desired. He mentioned, “It was cool having my hobby integrated as part of my volunteering role”. To this, he added, “Seeing some of the residents actively enjoy getting involved made me feel content to know that my volunteering was impactful”. On top of arts and crafts, Nahid also enjoyed speaking with the residents. “Their stories inspire me and warm my heart to know that I’ve cheered them up just by having one simple conversation”.
As he juggled between his studies and volunteering, he said, “Because of this opportunity, I’ve learnt a lot, met new people, and my skill-set to get into nursing has improved so much”. He was also asked about what he gained from his experience as a volunteer, and he shared the most important thing he gained was his confidence. He says “I’ve learnt that it will take you places, and that’s why I keep pushing myself to do better every day”.
At first, walking into the care home, he did not expect much. However, after regularly volunteering he has built a relationship with the residents. “I now understand how to communicate with them, given their different situations, and I was able to use my study and put it into practice; this developed me greatly”.
To continue improving himself as a volunteer, Nahid pointed out that having a caring and friendly personality are important attributes to have as a volunteer. He praised the benefits of being a volunteer, recommending others to join him in giving back to the community and helping those who need it the most. For Nahid, he realised the importance of building a relationship with the residents because he believes “Everyone deserves a genuine connection”.
Case Study - Markus Heckhausen

Markus has had numerous jobs in management over the past few years after obtaining a degree in Business. He is now currently working for the UK government and has been for the last three years. When he is not at work, he likes to play the percussion in the orchestra and also enjoys playing football in his spare time.
Markus originally discovered Aspen Court Care Home through searching on the internet for volunteering opportunities local to him. He then discovered Friends of Care Homes and proceeded to reach out to them. He now visits the care home for a few hours each week, mostly on the weekends, occasionally during evenings. He loves spending his time there, listening to the residents and hearing their stories, “it seems to give people quite a lot, just listening and it is very rewarding, building relationships with everyone”, he explained.
“The connection varies with everyone, but when you see the same residents over and over again, it is hard not to feel a connection with them”, Markus stated. As well as forming friendships with the residents, he has also bonded with the staff, “there are some that I particularly like, you get to chat to them and share part of their experience and they are very grateful for anyone coming in”, he said. The biggest and most rewarding gain from his experience at Aspen Court for Markus has been the connection he has and maintains with everyone at the care home.
Markus believes that his patience and openness has helped him with his goal of being a helpful volunteer, but also understands and stresses the importance of resilience in his role. He maintains this resilience by making sure that he does not get too attached to those he is befriending, “you need to find a good balance between opening up to the residents and remaining the volunteer”, he explained.
Markus’ positive experience at the care home has given him a gratifying feeling, encouraging him to convince others to start volunteering also, “just try it out, do the right thing for you, it teaches you a lot about life and allows you to develop your people skills and empathy, as it has done for me”, he said.
“But you must understand, before you go into the care home, that different people have different needs”, he explained, making sure that prospective volunteers are aware of the fact that some residents may have severe dementia, meaning that they will not always remember every volunteer, but still remain grateful for the help that they are given.
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