Music, fun and laughter have kept residents at The Grange Care Home in Newport upbeat and busy during the Covid-19 lockdown.
In line with current government guidelines all Country Court Care Homes are currently closed to visitors and The Grange is no different. Although residents miss seeing their family members, staff have been coming up with innovative ways to make sure everyone stays in touch.
Country Court, the company who operate The Grange, have provided all of their homes with a tablet and residents have been experiencing video calls with relatives for the first time, as well as receiving numerous daily phone calls, cards and letters.
Children from Little Hadham sent in pictures, cards and letters for people to read and enjoy. Residents have been trying their hand at various crafts from pom-pom making to knitting while others have been playing tin-can alley and decorating cupcakes.
The Grange Facebook page has also been showing families what their loved ones have been doing.
For VE Day, residents enjoyed a wartime style lunch menu with spam fritters or Woolton Pie and steamed jam sponge followed by a sing-a-long on the terrace in the afternoon.
Home manager Teresa Torres said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity and support from our local community.
“Family members have sent in many messages of support for our staff as well as chocolate gifts and treats to keep us going”.
As the usual wide range of visitors, musicians and entertainers are not allowed to visit because of lockdown, Country Court has asked people to send in videos of themselves or their children singing or playing musical instruments.
The videos have been collated and shared with all their care homes. Staff have been showing residents the new videos as well as leading impromptu sing-a-longs and making sure residents continue to enjoy music and dancing.
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