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10 Year Success Story

A special awards evening took placed on 22nd September at The Labour Club in Yeovil for staff at Sherborne House, who have achieved ten years’ service with Altogether Care.

Sixteen members of staff attended along with their families and enjoyed food, drinks and lots of dancing. The party was enjoyed by everyone and special Congratulations are given to the following staff for their dedication throughout the last 10-years: Caroline Sharp, Saji George, Wei Ji Gao, Vesela Stoycheva, Li Li Su and Elna Nioda.

Congratulations to you all!

Activities galore at Weymouth Care Home

Residents at Weymouth Care Home have been enjoying a wide spectrum of activities this month including ‘Chair Zumba’, songs from the accordion and live piano music.

Becky Wells visits every fortnight to take a Zumba class with a difference.  Louise Dukes visits monthly and in addition to being an excellent accordion player, sings a variety of well-known songs.

Mark ‘the piano man’, also a monthly vistor, is very popular with both residents and staff frequently telling a few classic jokes to add humour to the occasion. Joy can be seen having a dance to one of his catchy tunes.

Chloe May at Weymouth Care Home

Local singer Chloe May visited residents at Weymouth Care Home once again to sing, dance and play a variety of songs which encourage everyone to join in and sing along to their favourite tunes.

Chloe is a regular at the home and is familiar with artists such as Vera Lynn and Elvis Presley.

The residents enjoyed Chloe’s performance and look forward to her visiting again soon.

Harvest at Steepleton Manor

Harvest Festival was a grand affair at Steepleton Manor this autumn with local vicar, Jean Saddington who joined residents in singing traditional hymns.

Chef Nick made and served traditional wheatsheaf bread and all vegetables served were home grown in the gardens.

Mental Wellbeing – We All Deserve the Fullest Life Possible

According to the British Council for Counselling and Psychotherapy, 22% of men and 28% of women aged over 65, experience depression. Mental wellbeing for the older generation is a serious issue that doesn’t always get the attention it should.

For most, this stage of life should be a period of contentment, free of the pressures of work, with plenty of time to do what you want and enjoy. Often, the reality is different. Without a sense of mental wellbeing, many opportunities to lead a full and satisfying later life become closed off.

Isolation is one of the biggest risks. Lack of social interaction is highly detrimental to mental wellbeing. In a residential care setting this is something that can be easily monitored. We would always know if people were becoming withdrawn and we’d spot the tell-tale behavioural changes that go with increasing isolation or deteriorating mental health.

The need for social interaction is addressed through activities designed around residents’ interests. These offer different experiences and opportunities to interact with people both within and outside the care home community.

When people receive home care support, care workers have a vital role in watching out for signs of poor mental health and social isolation.

Whatever the care setting, care providers need to work closely with health services to promote healthy mental wellbeing and ensure the necessary support or therapy is provided. There is no stage in life when simply sitting and watching the world go by is the best thing. Giving people the support they need to continue living as full and active a life as possible is the least they deserve.

Naturally, mental wellbeing is closely interlinked with both physical and emotional wellbeing and we’ll look at these aspects in future articles.

Paint Pals at Steepleton Manor

Residents at Steepleton Manor have started their own ‘paint pals’ class which takes place each week in partnership with Portesham CEVA Primary School.

Pupils and residents send pictures that they have created, and share comments of how each weeks’ pictures make them feel. The pictures create a variety of emotions, with residents getting to choose their favourites from all the different pictures the primary school pupils create.

Seven Pups Steal Hearts at Care Home

Seven eight week old Terrier Cross Puppies have stolen the hearts of residents at Sherborne House Care Home in Yeovil.  Amy Trowbridge-smith, who works at the care home owns the seven puppies and was having difficulty deciding on names so she took them to meet the residents who suggested suitable names for them after a play session with the three boys and four girls.

Treacle, Sky, Bella, Marley, Patch Nunock and Magic have all found loving homes and enjoyed their visit to meet the residents for a play session.

The puppies were an ideal tonic for the residents who always enjoy meeting animals, birds and any other friendly guests that visit.

Employees of the Month – September

We are delighted to share September’s Employees of the Month for our care homes. Each month, care home managers at Sherborne House, Steepleton Manor and Weymouth Care Home will hand pick team members who demonstrate a passion for their role and go above and beyond to provide excellent standard of care and support to residents.

Our Employees of the Month for September are:

Steepleton Manor

Kate Mauger

Kate is Steepleton Manor’s Employee of the Month. Kate has worked hard throughout the month and everyone at the home can always depend on her. Kate is an efficient, punctual staff member who has great attention to detail and always has time in her day to chat to the residents.

Sherborne House

Natasha Curr

Natasha has been nominated as Sherborne House’s Employee of the Month. Natasha always has a smile on her face, and nothing is ever a bother.  Our residents have nothing but praise for how amazing she is.

Weymouth Care Home 

Jackie

Employee of the Month for Weymouth Care Home, Jackie has managed exceptionally well in the absence of her colleague. Jackie keeps the home’s domestic team organised and Weymouth Care Home clean and tidy.

Congratulations to all of our Employees of the Month!

Good luck Sami

A small send off was arranged to wish Sami well with the forthcoming birth of her first baby which is due sometime in the middle of October.  Sami has been with the Company for several years, working her way up from carer to Field Care Supervisor in the Care Home department, and now Finance Administrator at our Head Office. We look forward to welcoming Sami back after her maternity leave. Good luck Sami!

Some recent day to day activities