Enriching Lives
Enrichment activities and everyday life
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Enrichment is about giving our residents respect, dignity, choice and compassion and the opportunity to live their life as fully as they wish to.
We all need to have fulfilment and meaning in our lives no matter what our circumstances and it's vitally important for us at Pendine that we give every person we are entrusted to care for the best support to do the things they love and to make every moment matter.
The arts in particular are at the heart of our enrichment programme, playing a pivotal role in keeping our residents engaged in meaningful activities that allow creative self-expression in a supportive, inspiring, inclusive and encouraging environment. This has a positive impact on well-being and for many has given purpose and meaning to their days as our residents lose themselves in their creations
Giving everyone the chance of having access to the Arts is very important to Pendine as an organisation, and we have tangible evidence to support the impact that this has on general well-being and fulfilment. The happiness and sense of pride and achievement when someone finishes a painting, conducts a musician or creates a sculpture, is the best outcome anyone could hope for.
But It's not just about having access to the arts - Enrichment is about giving meaning and purpose to everyday life. Our person-centred approach at Pendine encourages and supports people to enjoy therapies and activities which are tailored to suit each individuals’ hobbies interests, preferences & abilities and to be as involved as they wish to be. Whether that be as part of a group or during one-to-one activities including for those who have to remain in bed.
This means lives are enriched in many ways from being involved in everyday life activities such as gardening -planting seeds and watching them grow over time, reading – getting lost in a gripping story, having tea with family and friends, celebrating Birthdays and special events to activities such as, pop up Hair and Beauty experience, visiting the pop up Pub for a pint of our specially brewed ale, reminiscence and laughter therapy, sport, exercise, film nights, concerts, trips out and many other fun activities.
Getting involved in these types of activities helps to retain and often regain everyday life skills which further enhances a person’s wellbeing.
Social interaction is actively encouraged to enjoy shared experiences and happy times together. Our residents are supported to maintain their family and personal relationships, their connections to their communities and their culture.
Enrichment is also about the little things - simple things like making sure the radio is tuned to a favourite station, putting a favourite scarf on someone, a spritz of a special perfume, even preparing a cuppa in exactly the right way. Sharing a joke with someone or having a chat.
Having an enriching working environment is important for our staff too who are given training as part of our Enrichment programme to build on the talents and interests they already have.
The opportunity for people to express themselves artistically through Art and Music is a joy to behold.
It is believed that we were the first nursing home in the UK to work with an Artist in Residence.
Enriching lives in a home from home environment
We put a lot of care and thought into our environment and image in our homes. The purpose of our interior design schemes is to create a home from home experience for our residents to enjoy, and feel comfortable and safe in. Our homes are inviting, warm and welcoming spaces radiating a friendly, homely, relaxed atmosphere. Set in large, beautifully landscaped gardens - bringing the outside in.
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Colour is an integral element to our interiors. Colourful feature walls in bedrooms, corridors lounges and bathrooms not only create an eye-catching, enriching space they also help enormously in making it easier to interpret and navigate our homes safely. Colour and contrast are prevalent throughout our homes - from our handrails, curtains, blinds and wallpapers to our feature walls. Colours are chosen with a particular emphasis on how they positively affect mood and well-being and can bring out certain responses in our bodies, such as re-energising and healing.
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Our bedrooms, which range from spacious en-suite rooms, deluxe suites to apartments, are bright, fresh, relaxing, private spaces, many have curved feature walls, containing quality furniture and fabrics with large windows or patio doors, flooding our rooms with light and vitality.
State of the art call bell systems offer reassurance and speedy responses. Good lighting is crucial, carefully designed lighting systems within our newer homes include lights fitted with sensors to automatically switch lights on in the bathroom if our residents get out of bed at night whilst also alerting staff too their movements.
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We have an in-house soft furnishings department who expertly make all our beautiful, luxurious curtains and soft furnishings throughout our homes to the highest standard. Working closely with our Directors and Artist in Residents to create inviting spaces for everyone to enjoy.
Our residents are encouraged to bring in their own furniture and accessories if they wish, to help them settle, feel at home and make their room their own. Where possible, residents can choose their preferred colour schemes for their bedrooms and their opinions are welcomed whenever new communal space schemes are being planned.
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Our individually designed, comfortable lounges in a variety of uplifting fabrics and colours offer a choice for enrichment, relaxation, privacy, stimulation or for spending time with friends. Many have kitchen areas, ideal for promoting independence and for retaining and practising everyday life skills.
To overcome the problem of accessories being moved, broken or taken out of lounges and leaving them looking bare, we created floating shelves with lighting displayed high on the wall with a beautiful array of accessories chosen specifically to be of interest to each resident group whilst also ensuring the lounge still looks cosy, cared for and inviting.
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Colourfully painted rummage drawers and sideboards are dotted about to encourage safe exploration and distraction.
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Bathrooms and WC’s have jewel coloured mosaic tile panels to the shower and wash hand basin to highlight key areas and are set against a painted or wallpapered feature wall for added interest. Baths fitted with speakers for music, coloured lights for relaxation and bubbles create the perfect spa experience.
We have nonslip practical Amtico oak floors throughout our homes for a warm, contemporary flow. Bathroom floorings are fitted with safety flooring in colours to match each scheme.
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Stunning artwork themed for reminiscence, relevance to the resident group and enjoyment are displayed throughout our homes, in communal spaces and bedrooms, aiding navigation and being a colourful point of interest along the way. Memory boxes outside bedrooms also help with orientation whilst displaying treasured memories from our resident’s life.
Our hair and beauty salons and cafés areas are the perfect destinations for a pamper session or socialising over a cuppa with loved ones after a walk around our gardens.
Staff rooms offer relaxing spaces to enjoy breaks and recharge.
A welcoming, homely environment is key to for the health and wellbeing of our staff as well as our residents.
Our passion for people being able to live life as they wish means we have a person centred approach and therapies and activities are tailored to people's capacity.
Everyday Life Outdoors
We are very fortunate that all of our homes are set in beautifully landscaped gardens… energising health, well-being and enrichment throughout the seasons in safe, open, inspirational garden areas that harness colour, life and vitality, bringing the outside in.
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Each of our garden spaces can be easily accessed via safe pathways with points of interest along the way. Feature gardens may have an obelisk, stone summerhouse, fishponds, water features or menagerie of wooden animal sculptures dotted around our sculpture trail.
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In summer, blossoming roses climb the original stone walls and more can be seen throughout our many gardens bringing a splash of colour and intoxicating scent.
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The joy of growing food or flowers in our gardening club, picking apples from our orchard, exercising outdoors or being around animals and birds has so many positive effects and gives purpose, meaning and happiness to our residents’ lives.
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Our enclosed courtyards enable easy, safe access to the outdoors for our residents and staff to enjoy. Each space is filled with colourful planting in our brand colours, fragrance and texture for a sensory delight.
Mandalas & hand painted plant pots created during intergenerational art & craft classes bring uplifting pops of colour and pattern. Vegetables and produce grown in our raised planters for ease of access, produce an array of delicious veg, harvested by our residents and turned into tasty soups and pies to share with friends.
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Nature flourishes all arounds us as our gardens are a haven for a variety of wildlife – from birds, butterflies, bees, hedgehogs, squirrels, badgers to a fox who’s nightly visits are captured on our night vision camera.
We have plenty of benches dotted about to pause for a moment, have a breather and enjoy quiet contemplation in a serene space, take some exercise, or a chat with passers-by. Our patio areas have parasols and dining tables ideally situated for a meal outdoors with loved ones in the summer sunshine.
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Spending time in green space in the fresh air and sunlight, listening to the birds in our gardens or encouraging nature into our residents and staffs’ everyday life can benefit both mental and physical wellbeing giving added importance to having such a variety of accessible outside spaces for all to enjoy and interact with.
Highly skilled staff means that we are able to support highly dependent people to enjoy many enrichment therapies and activitities.
