Homecare staff volunteer to help people who have a medical emergency
04/05/2023
Homecare provider launches initiative to raise cash for children’s charity
04/07/2023
A homecare provider organised a right royal celebration for its clients to mark the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
Westmorland Homecare held a special client social with a Coronation theme at Ibis Sports and Social Club in Kendal.
The event – attended by more than 20 clients and their family and friends – was arranged for several weeks after the Coronation.
“This was done on purpose as we knew how important witnessing Coronation Day on television would be to our clients and we didn’t want to disrupt that,” said Shannen Aplin, Westmorland Homecare’s care coordinator – recruitment.
“We arranged transport for anyone who needed additional support to get to the venue so, for example, one of our team brought three clients from Grange-over-Sands and then took them home afterwards.”
Those attending were greeted by Westmorland Homecare staff offering tea, coffee or a soft drink and then a royal quiz was held, organised by care manager Kelsey Walmsley.
“The Royal Family means a lot to people of that generation and it was nice to see them discussing the questions to make sure they had the right answer,” said Shannen.
“We had some amazing royal-themed prizes, including shopping bags, cushions, chocolates and scented diffusers.”
Musical entertainment was provided by Bob Christie, of Kendal, who sang everything from swing to some of the old school classics.
The visitors were served a traditional afternoon tea, featuring sandwiches, cakes and scones, much of it prepared by Kelsey and senior client coordinator Rachel Dickinson.
The event was rounded off with a royal bingo competition, organised by Shannen.
“It was a really enjoyable afternoon,” she said. “We had clients from Milnthorpe, Grange-over-Sands and Kendal so there were people who probably would not have crossed paths before reminiscing about earlier royal events, such as the wedding of King Charles and Queen Camilla.
“The ethos of Westmorland Homecare is all about caring, looking after each other and building a sense of community and so it felt wonderful to help clients and their family and friends come together with members of our team to celebrate an historic moment in the nation’s history.”
Westmorland Homecare provides hundreds of hours of care each week to enable elderly and often frail people to live independently in their own home.
Its services include home care, such as help with housekeeping and meal preparation, and personal care, such as help with dressing, bathing and getting in and out of bed.
Social events are organised regularly to ensure all clients have the opportunity to get out and meet people from their communities. “This has sparked new friendships in the form of pen pals and ‘phone friends’ across the South Lakes area,” said Shannen. “This, in turn, helps to combat loneliness and promote friendships, which is all part of our holistic way of supporting our clients.”