Life’s too short to waste a moment
At Ashfields House, we lead active, fun-filled lives. There’s something to do every day of the week, and in the evenings too. There are opportunities to laugh, sing, and dance together, to use our hands, to cook, to communicate via the internet, to play instruments, to discuss our favourite books, and to keep ourselves independent.
Tell us what you like to do
The starting point for any new activity is what you tell us you want to do. We ask new residents about their interests and hobbies, and just in case we missed something, there’s a suggestions box that anyone can use – your family as well as you. We have our own Mini Bus so we can take out trips as often as we can. Just a drive, call at the local pub, local garden centre etc. The residents love their trips out and makes such a difference to their days. We also go out in the evenings to local shows and to see the Christmas Lights.
We’re so busy we have 3 part-time (seven days a week) activities co-ordinators. They sets up the week-long programme, then work with residents as a group or one-to-one to make sure no one gets bored. Other staff continue her work during the weekends.
Here’s what we’re doing already
We’re constantly developing our activities programme. This list gives you a taste of the sort of thing we do.
- Arts and crafts: drawing, painting, card-making, felt, knitting, collage, photography etc – plenty of opportunity to get creative and messy
- Exercise: chair exercises, different styles of dancing, walking round the garden or to the nearest village
- Games: from skittles to netball; from card games to quizzes; from traditional games to the Wii and other modern technologies; board games indoors, outdoor games in the courtyard
- Reading / book club: you can order books and audio tapes through the visiting mobile library service and discuss them with fellow readers
- Trips / recreational outings: adventures from trips down memory land to entirely new experiences
- Cooking: everyone loves baking – it’s a special treat in which we all get to share the finished biscuits and cakes
- Guest speakers / talks: there are plenty of people who come in to talk about their lives or to teach us new skills
- Pet therapy: nothing beats some quiet time with animals
- General household skills: this is all about keeping you independent – the more you do for yourself, the more in control you feel of your life
- Live entertainers: everyone from bell-ringers to singers and keyboard players
- Local schools visits: pupils come to sing or perform for us, including short plays
- Personal care: hairdressing, face and hand massages, makeup, nail art etc
- Gardening: the garden is a wonderful resource with raised beds for those who like to get their hands dirty
- Singing and musical instruments: a huge favourite with residents – anything from swing to classical
- Film club: at least one film afternoon or evening every week – residents choose what they want to see
- Themed days: lots of opportunities for dressing up and having fun – race nights, 1940s tea dances etc
- Using the internet: to communicate with friends and family around the world
