Activities and Well-being

Keeping happy and healthy at Chelston

As well as outstanding nursing care in first-rate facilities, Chelston Gardens offers a range of well-being activities and services that help our residents feel comfortable, engaged and well looked-after.

Our approach to activities has always been innovative. We employ five dedicated activities staff and an activities coordinator to schedule the visiting entertainers and organise in-house activities.

Our activities team plays a vital role in day-to-day life. They work alongside care staff to keep people interested, stimulated and participating.

There are a variety of activities to suit everyone during the day. These can be one-to-one or based around group participation. Residents may dip in and out of activities as they want and staff encourage and support people to pursue hobbies and interests.

A typical day could include:

  • Arts and crafts
  • FLexercise
  • Physiotherapy
  • A pedicure
  • Enjoying a visiting entertainer
  • Appreciating the wheelchair-accessible gardens
  • Table-top games
  • A visit with the hairdresser
  • Planting and harvesting vegetables in the garden
  • Pursuing hobbies

Chelston Gardens offers personalised entertainment in a building designed around the needs of people living with dementia.

We invest in Chelston to ensure that as well as being functional for dementia nursing, the building remains beautiful and homely.

Whether it’s faster WiFi throughout the building for media and communication or new equipment to make the garden more enjoyable, we are always looking for ways to improve our home.

During the coronavirus pandemic, we had to limited all but essential visitors and we have paused our outside entertainers.

Outside entertainers have returned to Chelston, but the well-being team and activities we built up in place of these visitors remain.

Entertainers

We have a group of visiting entertainers who our residents invite back often. John plays rock and roll and classics, Gilly comes to play the piano and Avtar Indian Dance raises the mood.

One to One and Group Activities

Our activities team help our residents to continue doing what they love. Regular group and one-to-one activities include, breakfast club, reminiscence therapy, games, magazine & book reading, gardening club, sing-along sessions, arts & crafts, FLexercise, flower arranging, ‘no bake’ cooking & tasting sessions, sensory activities, quizzes, audiobooks, bingo and peaceful time with nature sounds in our woodland and beach themed sensory rooms.

Social events and special celebrations

We put on social events throughout the year. Our BBQ is a favourite with our residents and their families. We also have themed parties, coffee and cake mornings, and other charity fund-raising activities. Of course we also celebrate all the seasonal events and we organise parties for birthdays and other special celebrations.

Trips and outings

We organise outings by request. In the past, we have taken trips to the seaside, to garden centres and coffee shops. If people have an interest in local history, we can even organise trips to local landmarks, so that those who are not local can get to know their surroundings better.

    Hairdressing, Podiatry and Hand Massage

    We have a regular hairdresser who visits once a week. Bookings can be made in advance or you can schedule a regular cut.

    Our podiatrist and massage therapist also visits once a week

    Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation

    Just two weeks of inactivity can lead to people becoming de-conditioned. Physiotherapy can help rebuild resilience at a pace that suits the individual.

    Susanne Syme (pictured working at Chelston above) is a Chartered Physiotherapist and a specialist in rehabilitation of older adults. She can design programmes and support people who have had strokes, joint replacements, falls and broken bones, arthritis and Parkinson’s disease. Susanne engages and motivates people by focusing on what is important to them and their families – to optimise people’s ability to enjoy life. She also has lots of advice on equipment, seating, wheelchairs and transport. Susanne has worked as a private practitioner as part of the team at Chelston for nine years.

    Physiotherapy should be individually targeted. With regular strength, flexibility and high-level balance work – tailored to each person’s ability – we help residents to live well. I encourage people to sit less and move more! – Susanne Syme

    If you would like more information please ask a member of staff and Susanne can call you to discuss options and the cost of the service.

    In addition to our core activities, we also have visiting professionals who offer add-on services which contribute to our residents’ well-being.

    Prices for physiotherapy, hairdressing, hand massage and podiatry are available on request.