Fabulous feedback!

We regularly have residents from Tennyson Grange Care Home Care UK visit us.  Recently, they came for two visits for a bespoke workshop about World War 2.

Kimberley Atkin, the Head of Activities/Lead Lifestyle Lead at Tennyson Grange Care UK gave us  feedback after these sessions which we feel is just too lovely not to share!

‘The impact of the visit and experience you offer starts with the fact we are driving through the beautiful landscape of Richmond Park to get to the Holly Lodge Centre itself.  This immediately has a calming effect and always engenders discussions about the deer, the views and the landscape.

However, it is the atmosphere of welcoming, gentle support, interesting activities and a calm environment that captures our residents.  The engagement your volunteers offer is incredible, they really take the time to sit and chat and bring our residents out of themselves.

During the two recent WW2 workshops, we had residents in each group who were not sure about being there or whether they could successfully engage themselves.

Lily age 101 years, who has extremely poor eyesight was reserved at the beginning of the session thinking she wouldn’t benefit because she couldn’t see, but happily spoke about her memories of rationing, tried on the helmet and headscarf tie, laughing all the while, and chatted about memories of wearing her uniform when in the Women’s Royal Air Force. where she met her husband at the age of 18 years old.

Margaret age 102 years just didn’t feel herself that day but because you have a piano and she is a lover of the piano she was thrilled when volunteers spent time chatting with her while she played a little.  Their patience and kindness enabled Margaret to relax and engage with the session.

Michael age 84 is a case in point, initially articulating he wasn’t sure this was for him, but thoroughly enjoyed chatting with the team, about his life growing up, his experiences in the pay core and his desire to be posted abroad.  Michael chatted the whole way through the session with his natural sense of humour bubbling to the fore, and he continued to chat in the minibus the whole way back.

Michael commented afterwards, “I chatted with two girls who were really nice, I am not just saying that they were genuinely nice girls”,  followed by “it was one of the best days of my life”.