Friends of Oaklands

The garden was refreshed with lovely spring flowers. Residents were very happy with the results, and it really brightened up their day to be able to join the volunteers and help out in the garden.

The Friends will put the money towards running the Dementia Cafe.

On Christmas morning Friends of Oaklands brought a little bit of cheer to residents in Oaklands Care Home when they delivered 41 Christmas stockings. Thank you to our volunteers and to Tesco at Great Berry for the donations of items for the stockings.

Friends of Oaklands would like to say a big thank you to everyone who participated and offered their support in this years Christmas table sale at Oaklands Care Home. We are delighted to confirm that we raised £344.70 which will improve the lives of residents throughout the year.

The Challenge Team at Oaklands had a full morning of tidying the gardens on 5th October. They managed to plant some more flowers, repaint the fence in the garden and jet wash the pavement in front of the home. Well done team!!

Doris is extremely committed to John, visiting the care home every single day to spend time with her husband. Doris and John’s story is something out of a fairy tale, starting at a dance at the Ilford town hall, where they caught each other’s eye. John tried tirelessly to approach Doris and ask for a dance, but every time he got close, another man would ask her for a dance. John was finally able to get his dance with Doris after weeks of trying to ask, and the rest was history.

Doris Archer, who is turning 82 this year, is recounting her experience as a family member of a care home resident. Her husband, John, has Alzheimer’s and has been a resident of Oaklands for the past 17 months.

When asked about Friends of Oaklands, Doris had only positive things to say. She expressed that the Friends are ‘marvelous’ for all work they do.

Doris highlighted the cafes, the work done in the gardens, and the holiday celebrations that are thrown for residents and families. The cafes foster a sense of community in the home, getting the residents chatting with each other and the volunteers. Doris noted that this is especially good for John, seeing as he is a very sociable person and loves interacting with others. Watching a loved one suffer through Alzheimer’s is a fate Doris would not wish on anyone, but the Friends make her and John’s experience with Oaklands unequivocally better.

Today, although John’s memory is getting worse, he always remembers the time that Doris will show up at the care home, excitedly watching for when she will appear at the door. The two often accidentally match the colours of their outfits without knowing. Even on a subconscious level, Doris and John are the perfect match for each other, and their love was so clear to see instantly upon meeting them. They have overcome many challenges together, but their connection to one another still prevails. It was truly an honour to see how devoted Doris and John are to one another.

The couple celebrated their diamond anniversary, commemorated by a letter from HM King Charles III and a dinner hosted by Oaklands. In the garden, there is also a rose bush that was planted to celebrate the occasion.

The Friends of Oaklands Garden Challenge Team enjoyed a particularly successful morning on the last Saturday of April, making a significant achievement in their ongoing efforts to enhance the outdoor spaces at Oaklands Care Home. The team dedicated their time and energy to a comprehensive makeover of both the small garden and the area outside the front of the home, transforming these spaces into inviting and pleasant environments for residents and visitors alike.

The team worked diligently to create a more vibrant and functional outdoor space, paying close attention to the needs and preferences of the residents. Their hard work and dedication were evident in the beautiful results that emerged from the day’s efforts.

As final touches were completed, the residents were eagerly invited to inspect the newly revitalised garden. Their reactions were overwhelmingly positive, and the makeover received a heartfelt seal of approval from everyone. The residents were delighted with the transformation, appreciating the fresh and inviting look of the garden.

Friend of Oaklands Garden Challenge Team had a really successful morning on the last April of Saturday. The team did a makeover in the small garden and outside the front of the home. The residents gave their seal of approval when they had finished.

The Friends of Oaklands are grateful to Tesco at Great Berry for the generous donation of 42 Easter eggs to the residents of Oaklands Care Home. This donation is really appreciated by the residents and it really brightened up their day

Friends of Oaklands would like to say a big thank you to everyone who participated and offered their support in this year’s Christmas table sale at Oaklands Care Home.

We are delighted to confirm we raised £210 which will go towards the dementia cafe in the next coming months.

The Friends of Oaklands were delighted to receive a grant of £1000 from the Tesco Community Grants. The money will go towards the dementia cafe,  providing a relaxing and understanding environment for people with dementia, their families and carers,  who are socialising and supporting the residents and each other while enjoying tea, coffee and cakes.

On Bank Holiday Monday the group of volunteers met at Oaklands Care Home to upgrade the gardens. The volunteers took part in challenges. The courtyard garden was tidied up and all the fences were repainted, 2 new troughs were put it including the plants for winter.

The back garden was also tidied up and the permanent shrubs were installed. Everyone had great day and did some great planting work.

Friends of Oaklands were able to buy the parasols for the courtyard garden.

It is great addition for the garden during the summer days and the residents absolutely love them.

The open day was attended by the local MP and members of staff for HC One head office. This was a good opportunity for us to share about our involvement in the home. The residents all had a great day with activities such as quizzes and singing. Lots of fun was had by all.

In the last week of June, the Friends of Oaklands helped to refresh the pots and flower beds to brighten up the home before the open day.

Since Covid, the routines have changed the way people volunteer in care homes. Alongside this so have many of the people: both staff and volunteers.

These all combine to make people feel a little uncertain about elements of their volunteering at some point or another.

While there has always been the opportunity for one-to-one contact with Attend by contacting Sona at sona.sladkova@attend.org.uk we are now looking at another way for our volunteers to gain more support.

On the first Tuesday of every month, we will be holding open zoom sessions for any volunteer to catch up. These will be at 2pm. If you would like to join the call, email sona.sladkova@attend.org.uk to be added to the zoom invite.

The raised flower beds purchased by Friends allowed wheelchair users to be pushed up to them. The raised beds took a while to assemble, but the final result made it all worthwhile, and the residents were very happy. Catherine Wood (chairman) was very thankful to the staff, volunteers and residents who had given their time to allow the project to take place. The garden will provide a place for residents to socialise in the warmer weather, and also give them something to focus on, and make them feel like they have achieved something. There are plans to tidy up the garden each month at the Dementia cafe, and some residents and volunteers have offered to help out with the watering rota, to ensure everything remains in tip top shape. There are plans to keep adding to the garden and making things look prettier. The next gardening day at Oaklands will be happening in the early autumn.

“I like to get residents involved in all that I do because it makes it more enjoyable, I may be paid to work here, but it’s not about me,” Lorraine said.

Lorraine started working at Oaklands Care Home three and a half years ago and said she really enjoys interacting with people in her job and giving them confidence. Lorraine said she has also built her own confidence through her work.

“I’ve not been one for sort of standing at the front of a room and projecting my voice, I’ve always liked to sort of sit back when speaking to people, I feel quite nervous, and I think it’s easier now. I really enjoy interacting, singing and dancing, sometimes I make a fool of myself but I really do enjoy it and I think it’s changed me as a person,” Lorraine said.

Lorraine said one of the reasons she wanted to work at Oaklands was because her father lived there for about three years, and she learned from his experience that “a bit of kindness goes a long way” for care home residents.

“As much as I like to boost their enjoyment of being here, I also get a lot of enjoyment out of their friendship too and even though we’re not blood related family, in the home here we look after each other and we are a family,” Lorraine said. This sentiment was returned by Anne who said the two get on quite well.

Lorraine said in her time as Wellbeing Co-Ordinator, the Friends of Oaklands have helped her so much and are extremely friendly, welcoming, and always willing to help.

“They are so supportive to me, not just in what they do for the home and for the residents, but they’ve always got time to support me in my role,” Lorraine said.

Lorraine said the Friends are incredible at anticipating the needs of the home, which is especially helpful to her because she said she doesn’t like to ask for money, but the Friends’ willingness to help and provide ideas for what the home might find useful makes this process easier. The group have done everything from organising the garden and planters outside of the home, to purchasing a cardboard cutout of King Charles as well as chocolate and alcohol, raising money by organising and sponsoring tabletop sales, and buying and wrapping Christmas gifts. Lorraine especially remembered a time that the Friends noticed a resident was constantly reading and they supplied her with books, and another time that the group noticed there were not many tables in the home and within about two weeks a set of tables arrived.

“I cannot thank them enough for their support and half the time I don’t even have to ask,” Lorraine said.

Lorraine said Anne especially enjoys friendly interaction, something that the Friends always provide. At monthly dementia cafes, Anne and other residents and community members love interacting with the Friends. Lorraine also said Anne loves any gifts that the Friends provide, especially during COVID when things were tough. For Lorraine, the best part about the gifts the Friends provide is that they are already wrapped, which is one way the Friends help to ease her busy schedule.

More recently, Lorraine said the Friends have helped to hire and onboard a volunteer who is a family member of a resident and will be helping Lorraine out with activities. The Friends have also helped to organise Holy Communion and church services at the care home.

“They have made things a lot easier for me, instead of me spending all of this time trying to look for these people myself. They’re constantly looking for ways of helping us to help our residents enjoy their time here,” Lorraine said.

When Bob Hackett’s dear friend Tony developed Alzheimer’s disease, there was no question that he would support him in any way he could. Bob met Tony and his wife Jean in 2004 when he moved to Essex and has remained close friends with them ever since. Although he is now retired, Bob’s lifelong professional experiences in pharmaceuticals, as a psychometrician and in dementia research mean he has a skillset that he could use to support his friend. It was through his relationship with Tony that Bob came to volunteer at the Dementia Café at Oaklands Care Home, which Tony and Jean used to attend. 

Bob said he believes it is a shame to waste a skillset that could be used to help others, which is why he has chosen to volunteer at the dementia café and to sometimes offer communion at Oaklands care home over the past few years. As a father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Bob said he has learned that life is precious in all its forms and that it is so important to support people with whatever a person can offer. 

Over the years, Bob watched Tony mentally depreciate from a talented organist, woodworker and musician to a much worse state. Along the way though, Bob said Tony was determined not to let his condition control his life. Through support from his wife Jean, Tony remained able to share his story if given the proper space to think and support. A few years ago, he even presented his experiences with Alzheimer’s to a group of doctors and was met with massive support and applause for his ability to communicate his experiences despite the stage of his condition. Through Tony’s journey, Bob saw how impactful human interaction can be for people suffering from conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia. He said any time he can be with people in a similar condition and support them he tries to. 

“It’s a joy to meet people wherever they are,” Bob said. 

You never know what is going on inside a person’s head and even just talking to someone who seems unresponsive may have a great impact on them, Bob said his goal when volunteering is just to give people some human contact. Usually, Bob said, there is some sort of sign that they are understanding him, whether that is “in people’s faces or just that they want to touch my hand.” 

“It’s so important that these people are given respect as human beings until the very end and beyond,” Bob said. 

While this is a belief Bob employs while volunteering in the care home, it is one he has held throughout his life. Before Bob’s mother passed away, she was placed in a medically induced coma for four days and during that time Bob and his family included her in conversation because they knew she was there with them in some way and deserved to be included. It is this mindset that Bob carries with him to the Dementia Café.  

At a recent Dementia Café, Bob said he enjoyed speaking with one care home resident who is only in the home temporarily. Despite being 89 years old, the resident has been in good health all his life and remains so in all aspects except that he has started falling frequently; the patient was moved into the care home temporarily to determine the root of his condition.  

Bob said because of the patient’s strong mental state and quite active nature, he has found himself somewhat bored in the home and really enjoyed speaking with Bob and other volunteers. For the resident this kind of interaction was helpful, and, for Bob, he enjoyed speaking with the man and another resident to help the two find common ground and conversation despite their different mental states. 

While working as a nurse in hospice care for many years, Catherine Wood found that there was a
significant gap in support for people with dementia in her area, especially those nearing the end of their
lives. This gap inspired Catherine to become involved with Oaklands Care Home and start the monthly
Dementia Café for residents of the home and the surrounding area. Catherine is now chairman of the
Friends of Oaklands who continue to operate the Dementia Café on the first Wednesday of every
month, along with providing other support to the home. The Dementia Café is an event hosted in Oaklands Care Home but any locals with dementia are invited to attend the event, regardless of if they live in the home. Catherine said this is unique to Oaklands, because many Dementia Cafés are either held in care homes and exclusive to residents, or are held at public venues, and not intended for care home residents; there are very few programs that bring the two groups together. At the event, the Friends group works with Oaklands staff to provide conversation, support and resources to individuals with dementia. In some months they may also bring in an entertainer or activity to accompany their usual tea, biscuits and cakes. However, the conversations are the best part. “More often than not it’s just enjoying the tea and cake and having a chat with somebody who’s not a member of staff in the home, a friendly face,” Catherine said. The Dementia Café is a good way to “bring community into the home” which Catherine said might have felt very isolated before the Friends group was started despite being situated in the middle of an estate of houses. She said many people used to walk through the parking lot of the home on the way to other places, but never gave it a second thought. Hosting the Dementia Café as a public event helps the Friends to bring new faces in to interact with residents, both as volunteers and other Dementia Café attendees. The event helps care home residents to interact with new people which can be especially
helpful in a typically isolated environment. In one case, the Dementia Café even helped an attendee
become familiar enough with the home that when it came time for him to move into a care home, he
knew Oaklands was a place he could trust and was familiar with. Catherine said since it was started, about six years ago, the Dementia Café has grown enormously. She said now nearly every resident in the home attends the event and in any given month they might have about 30 people in attendance. Catherine said the impact of the gathering is clear for residents, with some remembering and looking forward to its return each month. They are also always excited to see the treats the Friends bring along. “People enter into conversation with us, and they become quite animated. I think you can see in their faces that they’re actually enjoying the conversation, they’re enjoying talking to somebody a bit different.” Catherine said. Volunteering at Oaklands is extremely rewarding for Catherine because, as a nurse, it gives her a different opportunity to support vulnerable people. She said she also loves hearing residents’ stories and getting to know them. She said the work of the Friends does not replace the care of the home but enhances it by providing external support for residents. Along with hosting the Dementia Café, the Friends take on many other projects for the home. The Friends have recently bought multisensory equipment to support residents with dementia, gave an update to the care home’s courtyard garden, bought lifelike dolls for residents and plan to spruce up the home’s other garden in the late spring or early summer of 2023. Multisensory equipment has been proven to help calm people with dementia when they become agitated and lifelike dolls help support people with dementia, particularly women who remember being a mother and having a young child. Catherine said giving these residents the opportunity to take care of a doll can be very reassuring for them. Catherine said ideas for how the home can be supported come from many creative sources, but especially from the home’s wellbeing co-ordinator. This relationship ensures that the Friends are providing support the home and the residents genuinely need. The Friends’ presence in the home supports staff members by allowing them to focus on other tasks when they know volunteers are around to chat with the residents and giving them the reassurance that the residents are being well supported. She said working with the staff in the home is lovely and there is a great connection between the Friends and the staff at Oaklands. “When we came back after COVID, the staff were just so pleased to see us,” Catherine said. “We were one of the first groups let back in, because I think they just really wanted that external connection.” Catherine said while the Friends of Oaklands is a highly active group in the home, there is always more that could be done for residents. She said she hopes one day to have the resources to send volunteers into the home every single day.

The Friends wanted to give residents something extra special to help them celebrate Christmas 2022 and worked with the local Tesco and care home staff to create stockings for every resident in Oaklands Care Home. The Friends made 39 stockings, each of which was left at the foot of a resident’s bed on Christmas morning. The stockings were filled with gifts including toiletries, sweets and biscuits that were mostly donated by the local Tesco. 

Chairman of Oaklands Catherine Wood said she is always very conscious of residents that don’t have family members or friends to visit them and who might be very lonely because of this, especially at Christmas time. She came up with the idea of making stockings to support lonely residents especially and to make their Christmas days a bit brighter.  

“I know the home does a lot to make their day lovely and as the Friends group, we just wanted to do something as well to make their day a little better,” Catherine said. 

After the Friends arranged supplies and organised the stockings, they delivered them to Oaklands a few days before Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning wellbeing co-ordinators at Oaklands got up very early to deliver the stockings as a surprise for residents when they woke up. Catherine said the residents were very excited and completely surprised by the gifts. She said at the end of the day the gesture is just about providing a little bit of unexpected joy to residents. 

Christmas Table Sale Returns with Great Success 

A festively decorated table laden with gifts was set up by the Friends of Oaklands on 7th December 2022 for residents, visitors and staff to purchase Christmas presents. While the Christmas table sale has been held at Oaklands in the past, this year was the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. Gifts included everything from books to holiday décor to sweets, quilts and toiletries. 

The event is especially important for residents who are unable to get out and buy gifts. For many people living in care homes, this opportunity is not available for any number of reasons. For some residents, this may be because they are unable to leave the home, or because they typically travel outside of the home with the loved ones that they want to buy gifts for. Attend Chief Executive David Wood said the goal of the event was not to raise money, but to give the residents the opportunity to window shop and buy gifts for family and friends. While prices were initially set very low, for some residents who could not afford them, the prices were further subsidised and no one was turned away.  

“Christmas is about giving, and we need to give residents that chance,” David said.  

Some gifts are donated by individuals, or businesses including Tesco which has donated money to buy gifts. Other gifts were purchased by the Friends of Oaklands. Because the sale has been held for many years, community members often prepare and save items throughout the year specifically to donate. Not only did this give residents many options to choose from, but people donated wrapping paper, gift bags and Christmas cards to the sale. David said these donations are especially helpful because many residents do not have supplies of wrapping materials. The donation of a gift bag may give, for example, a resident who has difficulty remembering things the opportunity to not only wrap their gift but to check what it is if they forget.  

The table sale was held at the same time as other events including an entertainer visit and a coffee morning. David said the community was delighted to have the event return, with newer and returning staff members alike excited to be there. The event was sponsored by the Friends of Oaklands and raised £117.10. 

The December Dementia Café was a roaring success at Oaklands, organised on Wednesday 7^th December by the Friends of Oaklands. The Dementia Café is an important event at Oaklands because of its many benefits. In addition to improving the confidence and well-being of people with dementia, it can be extremely helpful for residents to spend time with others going through similar experiences to them in a fun and low-pressure environment. The event featured festive desserts, including minced pies and mulled wine. An entertainer brought an exciting atmosphere to the event by singing and playing keyboards. Not only did the café bring a festive spirit into the home, but it was held along with other Christmas events, including the Christmas Table Sale. Residents really enjoyed the café and other events as a great way to come together and celebrate the Christmas season.

Every first Wednesday of the month, Friends of Oaklands organise a dementia café for residents at Oaklands. October was no different, with the monthly dementia café being held on Wednesday the 5^th.

Social interaction is extremely important for people with dementia and can help them improve confidence and mental wellbeing, making the event especially important. Friends brought hot drinks and cakes for residents to enjoy.

The refreshments were accompanied by live music, creating a great atmosphere in the home. Lovely Bill entertained the group with songs on his accordion. Everyone sang along with the wonderful music and enjoyed relaxing in the café environment.

The Oaklands Care Home courtyard garden is a lovely place for residents to get fresh air and enjoy some time outside. The benefits of time spent outside are numerous for residents of care homes, giving them opportunities to be more active, brighten mood and help reduce factors like stress and mental fatigue.

The Friends gave the courtyard gardens a fantastic update on Saturday 20^th of August by painting and tidying. Their efforts made the courtyard garden area even more enjoyable for residents. The garden now looks fabulous and will be an even more lovely place for residents to enjoy their days. The Friends also planted pots and hanging baskets at the front of the care home to bring beauty and natural decoration.

Toiletries are always much needed and greatly appreciated by the residents of Oaklands. For many residents, donations from Friends are the only access they have to certain items, particularly if they do not have family members to help them get the toiletries they need. The Friends of Oaklands were able to purchase toiletries such as shampoos, shower gels and deodorants for the care home. Another need that many residents of care homes have is for entertainment. The friends were able to purchase two CD players and a ceiling projector for residents to enjoy films and TV. Lastly, the Friends were able to purchase two real life baby dolls. All of these gifts bring great joy to the residents, and they are extremely grateful for the donations.

Friends of Oaklands are very grateful for receiving funding of £2000 from Arnold Clark Community Fund. The money will be used for running costs of the Dementia Cafe which is now back and running every first Wednesday of each month.

The residents and staff at Oaklands care home were very grateful to Friends for the purchase of items for the Queens Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Friends purchased the queen cut out, Jubilee flags and masks. The Jubilee celebrations started on the day of the dementia cafe when residents were joined by volunteers, and everyone enjoyed hot drinks and lovely cakes together. There was a great atmosphere with the jubilee theme and some of the volunteers were dressed in red, blue and white colours. This was a lovely start to the bank holiday weekend celebrations ahead.

On Easter Monday, Friends of Oaklands delivered a round of supplies to the care home, destined for the trolley service. The delivery included all sorts of things, from sweets and snacks to essentials like soaps, shampoos and deodorants. Plus, a Subbuteo pitch that’s sure to keep football fans at Oaklands entertained.

Residents find the trolley service very helpful; it allows them to purchase essential items they might be missing, and indulge in a sweet treat. It’s also an opportunity for residents to converse with staff and volunteers. Friends of Oaklands know the importance of the trolley service and appreciate being able to contribute with supplies so that residents have always access to what they need.

Friends of Oaklands are delighted to announce they have received £3000 in funding from the Charles S French Foundation. The money will be used to support the running costs of the Dementia Café.

The Café is finally back at the Oaklands care home, and everyone is very excited about it. The funds will help the Friends to buy coffee, tea, cakes and anything else that’ll be needed to make sure everyone feels good and enjoys their time at the Café. Moreover, it’ll serve for volunteer support sessions and to cover the attendees’ travel expenses.

On the 3rd of November, the Friends group could really celebrate. For the first time in nearly two years, the Dementia Café was able to meet back at the Oaklands care home. During the pandemic, the Café had to move online; though there were a few chances to meet in person when restrictions allowed for it, not everyone was able to make it, and surely not residents.

Therefore, everyone from volunteers to attendees and staff was very excited to see each other again at the home. It gave the people there a much-needed sense of retrieved normality. “It’s so lovely to see you, we did wonder if you would ever come back”, one of the home staff said. David, a volunteer, expressed his joy in meeting one of Oakland’s residents, Josie, again. “When Josie came in, it was really emotional. I thought ‘she made it through’,” he said. “There are so many people you have formed relationships with, and you just don’t know if they survived the pandemic”.

The past two years have been very challenging, especially for vulnerable people and those around them. Being able to come together and chat and enjoy some time again with each other was just beautiful. “Seeing people living with dementia outside the home, and those inside, their carers and the volunteers was a very special moment, a moment that’s been a long time coming,” Chairman Catherine said.

The group are now planning their Christmas celebrations with the home so that they can make up for lost time together.

At Barleylands that morning, families and friends relaxed together in a pleasant environment. A footpath made way to a lovely green spot and the entrance of the village’s farm park. A few small shops like arts & crafts boutiques and treatment rooms led to the tearoom. As they got in, the Dementia Café’s participants received the staff’s warm greetings. The team welcomed everyone to a set of beautifully adorned tables, which they had arranged in a square for everyone to face each other. The tables presented little plates, napkins, and stands. From attendees to volunteers, all participants were thrilled they could finally meet in person again, which resulted in a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere.

At noon, the Café started, and everyone put their drinks order through. Sandwiches, scones, and cakes populated the stands for everyone to enjoy. As the lattes, cappuccinos, and teas began arriving at the tables, participants had formed a few small groups. One could see the smile on their faces while they caught up with each other or shared their experiences with new volunteers. Providing a safe and friendly environment for people is the goal of the Dementia Café; both the affected person and their carer often experience an isolating effect after the diagnosis. The Café provides a human connection and a refreshing outcome for all, and benefits were clear last Wednesday, with everyone relaxing and having a good time.
During the meeting, volunteers moved around and swapped places to get a chance to talk to everyone. And after a bit more chatting, there came a beautiful surprise. The tearoom’s manager approached the tables with a request; “I’m not very good at singing; you need to help me with this one,” she said. It was a participant’s birthday that Wednesday, and the manager held a cake for him in her hands. He was genuinely excited and heart-warmed as the whole tearoom — not just the Dementia Café’s participants — sang happy birthday to him. After a few photos, he blew out the candles, and everyone applauded.

With everyone enjoying themselves, time at the Dementia Café flew. Very quickly, more than two hours had passed. Participants started making their way around the tables to say bye, already looking forward to seeing each other again on the next appointment. As they all left, the feeling that remained was that of a lovely day spent together and that everyone appreciated, from volunteers to attendees to the staff at the tearoom. That was the Dementia Café; it once again showed the importance of simple things, the power of having a chat, and the value of just being together.

Catherine, Chairman, said “we have always thought it is important to keep the area looking bright and cared for. It matters to residents, visitors, and staff equally. It is a public statement that the home is loved.

It is not easy to show the home: residents and staff that they are not forgotten by the community, but this is something simple we can do without actually going into the home, and any risk of infection.

All the Friends of Oaklands hope this little bit of colour along with the sunshine are the beginning of better times for us all” .

Julie and Barbara have been part of the Dementia Café’s core team for almost three years, though they have known each other since long before that. Julie runs listening groups with their local church, and she trained Barbara to be a listener. As trained listeners, both can provide emotional support to struggling people, an ever-important skill in the difficult times we’re living.

It was at one of those listening groups that Julie and Barbara decided to volunteer for the Oaklands Care Home and very soon got involved with the Dementia Café. Julie and Barbara help set up the dining room, decorate tables with lovely cloths and flowers, and serve as hosts to provide visitors with a friendly and pleasant atmosphere. “We greet people in a very welcoming way, as though they matter,” Julie said. “They’re not just dismissed, they are made to feel that this is theirs and this is for them.”

The importance of having spaces like the Dementia Café is just invaluable, and Julie and Barbara know it well. At some point in their lives, both their husbands were diagnosed with dementia. Having dealt closely with the condition, they understand and empathise with people living this reality. Coping with dementia can be a life-changing experience, isolating both the affected person and the carer. It might be hard for a person with dementia to have an outlet, and, at the same time, the carer may find it challenging to maintain relationships.

The Dementia Café, therefore, provides a human connection and has a refreshing effect for all. Visitors love meeting and talking to each other and embracing friendships and normality. One of the regulars, Bill, who plays the accordion, gets everyone there singing occasionally. Dementia hasn’t changed the joy he finds in playing his instrument, and the Café allows him to do that. “It’s an hour for them to come out and feel in a safe environment, to meet people and not be stuck indoors,” Barbara said.

Unfortunately, due to coronavirus restrictions, the Café’s regulars haven’t been able to gather up at the Oaklands Care Home since March of last year. Nonetheless, the Dementia Café hasn’t stopped. For the past fifteen months, every first Wednesday, as usual, visitors and volunteers met on Zoom. Although gathering online would at times prove difficult to some visitors, Julie and Barbara made sure to stay in touch with everyone, calling people to converse with them and support them.

The hope is that things will soon go back to normal. Julie and Barbara can’t wait to return to Oaklands and enjoy the beautiful reality of the Dementia Café in its original set-up. It is something of great value for them, and they would do anything to support it. As they lived the situation themselves, without having something like the Dementia Café, Julie and Barbara greatly appreciate how much the place and their work mean to the visitors. That awareness feeds back and enriches their lives. “I think the world is very loaded,” Julie says. “It feels very nice to be able to actually add a positive to what sometimes can feel like a negative place.” Now they both look forward to finally having that actual contact with people again, meeting in person and just enjoying each other’s company.

To find out more about the Oaklands Dementia Café please contact:

Catherine Wood 07969 221608 or email cwood26@gmail.com

Donations included 48 chocolate oranges, crisps, sweets and chocolates to stock the trolley and will be given to the residents to brighten up their days over the festive period.

Toiletries were also donated and distributed to residents who need them.

We really do appreciate their ongoing help in supporting the residents and relatives, both of those in the home, and those with dementia in the wider community.

Today we were delighted to replant the six pots outside the home, and wave to the residents through the closed windows at the same time.

It really was our pleasure to think that in this small way we are bringing a little love to everyone.

As one attendee said “it was great to see familiar faces, it helps you feel less alone”. It was also lovely to hear people’s lockdown tales, and share hopes for the future.

 Of course one sadness was that some of the residents in the home who are usually at the cafe weren’t able to be there. However, it was a fun new initiative and a great start for the future.

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
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The variety of animals were a part of what made the day, from corn snake to tree frog, to a hedgehog, and a rabbit and a rat. Every animal was different and gave a different sensory experience. All of them loved being held, and even more, we loved holding them.

It was great to see people in the moment just enjoying the experience. It also generated really positive and new discussions between people.

Consultation with local community highlighted that there was no similar service locally.

The care home generously offered their dining rooms and a venue, as long as it could be fitted around residents’ meal times.

The Friends team on the day included Catherine, Marie, Nichole, Chloe, Sydney, Julian and David.

The first job was to clear down the dining room for breakfast, and then setting up the room for the café. The Friends had to purchase the cakes, as well as napkins and cake plates. Additionally here was lots of literature to set out which had been donated by the Alzheimer’s Society.

There was a degree of “breath holding” to see whether anyone would come. Everyone was delighted when 11 people who had never been to Oaklands before arrived: a mixture of people living with dementia and their carers.

The final job of the day for the volunteers was to tidy up, and lay up the tables for lunch.

Catherine Wood, Chairman of the Friends of Oaklands said “We are very grateful to Hc-One and its staff at Oaklands, as well as the hard work of the volunteers. The project has been successful thanks to a grant from Awards for All, which has made the new initiative possible.” The Dementia Café will take place on the first Wednesday of every month between 10:30 and 11:30 am at Oaklands Care Home at Dunton Hills, Laindon, Essex SS16 6SX

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Consultation with the local community highlighted that there was no similar service locally.

The care home generously offered their dining rooms and a venue, as long as it could be fitted around residents’ meal times.

The Friends team on the day included Catherine, Nichole and David.

The first job was to clear down the dining room for breakfast, and then setting up the room for the café. The Friends had to purchase the cakes, as well as napkins and cake plates. Additionally there was lots of literature to set out which had been donated by the Alzheimer’s Society.

There was a degree of “breath holding” to see whether anyone would come. Everyone was delighted when 11 people who had never been to Oaklands before arrived: a mixture of people living with dementia and their carers.

The final job of the day for the volunteers was to tidy up and lay up the tables for lunch.

Catherine Wood, Chairman of the Friends of Oaklands said “We are very grateful to Hc-One and its staff at Oaklands, as well as the hard work of the volunteers. The project has been successful thanks to a grant from Awards for All, which has made the new initiative possible.” The Dementia Café will take place on the first Wednesday of every month between 10:30 and 11:30 am at Oaklands Care Home at Dunton Hills, Laindon, Essex SS16 6SX.

The Dementia Café runs on the first Wednesday of every month where residents are joined with carers and visitors who live with dementia, familiar or new, and have a chance to gather around to catch up and have a chat about their fondest of memories.

Before the residents and visitors were invited in, Friends and staff members of Oaklands Care Home helped to set up a table full of multi-sensory equipment that the residents can enjoy, as well as a number of tables for morning coffee. These tables included 3 tier cake stands full of Mr Kipling cakes, mini mince pies and a selection of cupcakes, ready to be served with tea or coffee. There were also gingerbread men set out for the residents to decorate and show their creative side.

Once everyone had settled in the café, one member came along to play some Christmas carols with his accordion whilst everyone was enjoying their tea and conversing with each other. The minister from the local church was delighted to join the group to sing the lead in a number of hymns whilst a visitor was playing the keyboard, encouraging everyone to sing along with him in harmony. The residents happily sang along and some even from memory. This month’s café created a loving atmosphere, gathering everyone around just before Christmas time; the residents all left with great smiles on their faces, appreciative for all the help that was put into setting up the café.

The Dementia Café is set up on the first Wednesday of every month at the Oaklands Care Home from 10:30 to 11:30 am. Local residents who may be struggling with Dementia are also invited to join the care home residents at this café, where they can seek support and advice.

A speaker named Alison arrived at this month’s event at the Dementia Café, she is from the Essex Wildlife Trust. In her speech, Alison talked about dementia-friendly walking trails in the local area near the Oaklands Care Home and described other ways of finding nature based recreation.  This speech informed the residents, visitors and their relatives on all the benefits of making walking more accessible to those who are living with dementia.

The morning was finished off with a short piano recital, performed by one of the café regulars.

The open day created an exciting atmosphere as everyone had the chance to get up to something different and to meet new people from the community. It was not just any event; this day built a link between the community and Oaklands, bringing people together. “It is lovely to see that people in this community care about their older people”, one local resident expressed.

There were all sorts of activities taking place during the day, such as a visit from the Pygmy goats and baby chicks, which the residents and visitors particularly enjoyed. There was also a raffle that was set up by the Friends of Oaklands team for everyone who was there. As for lunch, everyone gathered around for a barbeque while there were stalls set out to sell homemade crafts.

As a result of this day, Oaklands’ residents had the chance to come out of their rooms to communicate and socialise with the visitors. This event not only gave the residents’ loved ones an opportunity to visit the place in which they stay in, but also benefitted the residents themselves as they got to meet new people. Overall it was a successful event which led to the recruitment of a new volunteer for the Oaklands Care Home.

With this project, we will purchase a specialist sensory case for the elderly as a tool to exercise sensory perception. The case will include a variety of equipment for residents with dementia and those who might need some sensory stimulation.

The sensory case contains tools which will give the residents the opportunity to exercise visual, olfactory and auditory perception. Musical gloves will give the residents the opportunity to play music with ease and the fruits card game will allow them to recognise and match fragrances with fruits.

Additionally, cushions and armchair covers of various textures will constitute a tool to explore tactile perception.

The kit will be a chance to build a bridge between trained volunteers and the residents, form new meaningful relationships developed through leisure whilst simultaneously improving their physical health. Our volunteers will contribute to improving the lives of residents by exercising day-to-day tasks which involve sensory stimulation. Thanks to this project, residents will gain confidence in recognising textures, sounds and scents and, consequently, improve their concentration and memory.

The Multisensory Equipment project is one more step forward in making residents’ lives more enjoyable and meaningful.

The service offers residents of Oakland care home a range of goods to purchase including books, music records, cards, toiletries, gifts, and sweets. The residents can make independent choices and treat themselves or their loved ones by choosing items from the “shop on wheels”.

Not only does Trolley Service respond to residents’ need of purchasing basic goods, but it also provides an opportunity to chat with volunteers on duty. Visiting the residents’ room on a regular basis allows volunteers to engage with residents and brighten their day with a chat. Conversation – a seemingly simple act – can make a great impact on an elderly person’s sense of well-being. The Trolley Service also captures some of the elements of life happening outside of the care home which residents long for the most. Incidental chit-chats resulting from the service stand a chance to become a beginning of friendships and meaningful relationships between residents and volunteers, allowing volunteers to play an active role in making residents’ lives more enjoyable.

The aim of these projects was to further improve the garden areas of the home and for the students to spend some time socializing and entertaining the residents. Some of the students had never visited a care home before and were nervous to begin with, however after 3 days were quickly settling in and getting to know the home and its residents.

The area of the garden which the team focused on was to the side of the home which was a patch of land which had not been touched since the home had been built. Several of the resident’s rooms overlooked this neglected part of the home’s garden and none of them were very keen on it. The students worked very hard to ensure the ground was level, so that they could then plant new woodland shrubs and plants. Bird tables were assembled to attract wildlife and make the space more intriguing for the residents to look at. One resident had particularly identified this area as being a “sad sight” from her room. Unfortunately she was in hospital when the students visited but on her return she was delighted to see the difference.

In the afternoons the students spent time with the residents, talking to them, helping them with craft and hearing their stories. One group sang and some of the boys played snooker with a couple of the male residents.

The residents were delighted with the NCS visit to the home with one resident saying that ‘it was like a breath of fresh air”.

This is an area that had been overlooked during the work by the Fords volunteers and the NCS students’ visits but which is the first part that visitors to the home see.

The paths were jet washed, making it look like a completely new pathway and tubs of plants redone with a more appropriate winter theme. One of the residents came out to inspect the work and announced that she was very pleased with it. Several passing visitors also commented that it looked lovely.

The key aim was to give residents who can’t go outside the chance to choose items for their friends and family. It was a lovely event which managed to raise £96.00.

Catherine Wood, Chairman said “It’s a lovely way to start the Christmas season. It is lovely to see the residents picking out things for family members”.

This project will be a trolley service, with the aim to improve each of the lives of the 80 residents of the home. By setting up a trolley service it means that Friends can visit the residents in their room on a daily basis, to offer the option of buying items or just having a chat. Following from this, other activities will develop.

What happens on the trolley will vary: it may be sweets one day, toiletries, or books on another or even a theme for the holidays, for example Christmas.  It will be an opportunity for the residents to treat themselves or a loved one, even if they are unable to get out to the shops. Even if the residents don’t wish to buy anything, the trolley service will encourage friendly chats on a daily basis and help to ease the loneliness and isolation that can occur.

Volunteers will be trained and will run the trolley service, to give the residents a chance to see new faces and make some new friends.

The residents will be encouraged to request items such as socks or toiletries, and the trolley will have some small freebies to give away.

She left the care home with the intention of taking care of her husband and spending more time with their 3 young grandchildren.

After only a few weeks out of work however, Marie realised she missed the home too much and returned as a volunteer to see the people she once cared for full time.

Each Wednesday afternoon Marie feels as though she is returning to her work place. The difference is now she gets to spend her time enjoying tea and conversation with the residents that she now considers friends.

While Oaklands is a larger care home with upwards of 55 residents at a time, Marie takes her time to form a relationship with each person. While she does not know if the residents always recognise her due to the amount of people with dementia, she still continues to look forward to her afternoon conversations with each of them.

She spends a great deal of time with one couple in particular, Jack and Anne. While Jack suffers from dementia and does not always remember Marie, Anne always enjoys seeing her. The two women knew each other when they were young and often spend hours reminiscing about “when they worked together” and laugh about “what they got into.”

Marie feels it is her ability to relate to each resident that has helped her form long lasting relationships inside the home.

Many of the people Marie has met inside the home have made an impact not only on her volunteer or work life but on her personal life as well. Marie is extremely happy to have the opportunity to continue volunteering and plans to continue doing so for as long as possible.

What was it all about?

The Friends of Oaklands Care Home set themselves a challenge to see how much of a difference they could make for the residents over a 2 day period on 25^th and 26^th May.

Due to the recent development in community care, by the time residents come into a home they tend to be physically frail or suffer with memory issues. Many residents tend not leave home as their confidence levels aren’t high, and they just can’t face it. The home then becomes an “island of the old”.

The aim of the challenge days was to add value to the residents’ lives by creating different “destinations” within the home, and providing them with the chance, wherever possible, to lead independent lives.

Across the two days, four projects were proposed:

• Decorating the Dining Room

This was chosen as residents and relatives had previously commented that the dining room space needed to be freshened up. People wanted it to feel more like a restaurant.

• Overhauling the Courtyard Garden

Since the courtyard had first been created it had never had a spring clean and it was decided that a Zen garden as an addition would be a relaxing place for residents.

• The Rear Garden

To improve the use of the rear garden it was proposed to build a huge pagoda to provide shade for the residents. Additionally, painting the fences and putting in yards and yards of planting were on the agenda.

• The Trolley Service

To launch a trolley service that carries things like sweets, toiletries and books for the residents to purchase. This service is to encourage more choice for the residents, and a greater feeling of independence around how they live their lives.

How we did it?

The Friends could not have achieved all these projects on their own and so set about reaching people locally in the Laindon area. The Friends group were delighted to be supported by 20 members of staff from Fords, who split into groups to support the different projects.

In addition to a generous donation by St John’s Church, the Friends managed to raise around £3000 towards materials. The local Tesco’s store also supported this project, and very kindly donated flowers to be planted in gardens.

At this point, the Friends had all that they needed to start the job…

The time that would be required to complete the project was a bit of an unknown. The volunteers had set aside two days for this, and ended up being on site for the entire project. For the first day, volunteers were on site from 8am to 8pm, and on the second day from 6:30am to 8pm. The first day identified a need for some extra pairs of hands so the Friends made persuasive calls to get them!

Project One – The Dining Room

For the residents, the dining room is typically a very popular place to be. It’s used as a destination to catch up with each other over dinner, or simply to go to for a change of scenery.

The Friends looked at the dining room and wondered what they could do to freshen it up. They noticed that food has lost its interest for many of the residents so by making the dining room look more inviting, residents would be encouraged to spend even more time there.

The aim was to create a warm, comfortable and welcoming environment for residents. The Friends agreed to:

• Clear the room
• Repaint the walls  so that the room is more bright
• Repaint all the woodwork
• Clean the natural woodwork and floor
• Replace all furniture and pictures

The stunning re-decorated dining room had a “restaurant” feel to it. It had cream coloured walls and tables laid out for residents to eat alone or with their friends and family.

Project Two – The courtyard

The Friends noticed that the front courtyard felt a little unloved and lacked vibrancy. They looked at the space however, and felt that it had heaps of potential to be brightened up.

They planned to have an overhaul at the courtyard and to create a ‘Zen Garden’ for the residents to enjoy. The group of volunteers who supported this project came up with a plan to make this ‘summer ready’, and for it to be a place where residents could frequently visit. This meant:

• Painting the fence panels, planters and benches green
• Having the floor jet sprayed with a pressure washer to take off dirt
• Having the ‘Zen Garden’ installed
• Buying a water feature and setting it up
• Having planters cleared and planted up
• Buying hanging baskets
• Placing cotswold chippings all around the garden

Some of the residents’ windows overlooked the garden, so the Friends thought it would be a fantastic idea to add flowers that were donated from Tesco’s to areas that were visible from the rooms. One of them had a bird table, and that was given a coat of paint too.

Having new flowers in a vibrant, well looked after courtyard means that the residents will engage in more outdoor activities. It will mean that they can really make the care home their home.

Project Three – The Rear Garden

The rear garden was the biggest of the four projects as it was about creating an exciting new experience for both the residents, staff members and volunteers. There was quite a lot of space in the rear garden, and had a lot of potential to provide facilities for all to enjoy.

The plan for the rear garden was to:

• Install the pagoda
• Remove raised bed in the centre of the garden
• Paint the fences, benches and plinths
• Plant flowers around the edge of the garden
• Put together kick boards at the edges of the flower beds

When installing the pagoda, the Friends were very fortunate to have a team of engineers volunteer to help them, who also happened to be very competent builders. They are used to working together on similar “challenge” projects. On day one around ten worked in the rear garden starting off by digging out the base for the pagoda and after two full days of hard work, the residents were presented with a very beautifully built pagoda.

Project Four – The Trolley Service

With help from volunteers, a trolley is now available for residents to purchase items; everything from sweets to toiletries, cards and gifts. The aim is to help residents feel supported, embracing independence by making a choice when purchasing an item off the trolley. This also allows them to have a chat and be in the company of a volunteer as they come to the room. Having a trolley shop will have a positive impact not only on the life of a resident but also the volunteers.

A bid has been submitted for funds to purchase mobile multi sensory equipment to help residents with dementia

The Friends met on Friday 9th December at Oaklands Care Home to plan for Christmas and the January volunteers lunch. Bids have been submitted for multi-sensory equipment and an electric piano and we discussed  also future bids that can be submitted to support the end of life befriending project. The Friends have purchased a present for every resident from the money raised at our recent table sale.

On 24th November, Wendy and Catherine got together to price everything. With over 500 donated items given mainly by Attend connections.

The aim of the project has been to enable residents who can’t get out to choose something to give their loved ones.

The Friends were delighted to have the leader of a local church come on board as a new committee member. They  are currently planning their Christmas table sale.

Following the recent successful bid to Awards 4 All we are now looking at other funders who may be able to help with purchasing mobile multi sensory equipment for the residents and also support a volunteer led end of life befriending project

The volunteer get together was well attended and there will be  another event in January.

As part of his role, he is patron of each of the friends groups in care homes.

Pictured here, he is talking to Nichole, project manager, and Kahlil who is newly appointed to the team. He was delighted to hear of the progress to date.

It will take a little while to get set up, but hopefully will be fully operational by Christmas.

Goods were donated, and prices kept low so that everyone could participate. Nothing cost more than £4.

Wendy and June supported some of the residents as ‘personal shoppers’ as residents were able to choose from a huge cross-section of gifts. Joyce said “It was lovely to be able to choose some little surprises for the family myself. My daughter has always done it for me in the past.”

Raising nearly £200, Catherine Wood, Chairman said “The first priority is to buy gifts for the residents, not least because some have no family or friends and get very little.”

Particular thanks goes to the staff of the home, especially Denise and Marion for helping make it all possible.

Additionally the friends gave mulled wine, Prosecco, mince pies and chocolate for everyone: residents, relatives, visitors, staff and friends