Winchester House News

Inside this issue

• News in and around Winchester House • Employee of the month • Dates for your diary • A few words from Barchester

Hello and Welcome! We wish you all a Happy Easter.

As I informed you previously, we are continuing to up-date the décor of the home with Shorts Terrace Lounge about to be completed and new curtains arriving for different areas of the home. The Activity Team are also busy sprucing up the balconies on the first floors in readiness for the warmer weather.

We have had the results from our 2016 ‘Your Care Rating’, which shows a great improvement on our last year’s results. However, one area that you were least satisfied with was our laundry service. Please be assured that we are going to everything possible to improve the laundering and care of clothing within the home and we will up-date you as we put our plans into action.

The Barchester Care Awards are now receiving nominations and the closing date is the 30th April 2017. You can nominate on line via the Barchester.com website or by picking up a form in reception. This is a great opportunity to celebrate our hard working and caring staff.

We now have Wi-Fi available for residents and if you would like to access this, please see a member of the administration team for the access code. As you will see from the contents of this newsletter, we have had a number of staff celebrations and recognition awards of their hard work and team spirit. I am truly proud of the team that work here for the passion and care that they deliver on a daily basis. On a final note, just a reminder once again that we operate an open door policy and that Neli, the Deputy Manager or myself would be happy to meet with you at any time to discuss any issues you may have.

Winchester House Care Home 180 Wouldham Road, Rochester, Kent ME1 3TR Tel: 01634 685001 • www.barchester.com

General Manager

Sue Simmonds

News in and around Winchester House

The Evergreens Choir The Evergreens Choir are a choral ensemble from the Medway towns. They recently came to sing for us and meet up with a former member of their choir who now resides with us. Residents enjoyed a wonderful performance and afterwards, the choir stayed for tea, cake and a chat with everyone.

Lafarge Singers Our sessions with Ben are full of fun, music and laughter. Ben comes to Winchester House twice a month and the Lafarge Singers are going from strength to strength.

Informative Talks Tim from Informative Talks visits every month and provides entertainment and reminiscence services using digital technology with pictures, video and music. Residents are transported back to bygone times with captivating topics such as, Comedy Greats and Film stars of the golden eras.

News in and around Winchester House

Dame Vera Lynn's 100th Birthday

Carson the guide dog Our four legged friend Carson is a guide dog in training who comes to visit us and brightens everyone's day! Carson is so gentle and placid and residents love his visits.

St Patrick's Day The wonderful and gifted dancers from The Hackett-Kyne School of Irish Dance came to Winchester House recently and put on a dancing and music extravaganza! We were so grateful to the school for taking the time to share their amazing talent. After the performance everyone enjoyed the Guinness and the Craic!

Nutrition Week

In March we celebrated Nutrition week, which is a national campaign that shines a spotlight on nutrition and hydration in health and social care settings. We marked the event with a tea party and a fun food quiz. Thank you to Fran and the catering team for the delectable array of cakes laid on for this event.

Anna Golden recently visited to put on a performance in celebration of The Forces' Sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn's 100th birthday. The flags were waving and residents sang along to some old favourites. Happy birthday Dame Vera!

News in and around Winchester House

Chair Yoga

We are really enjoying a new addition to the activity programme with Chair yoga by Kerry. Yoga has been shown to improve overall health and can help those with mobility issues. We are all getting to grips with our new healthy lifestyle!

Salvation Army

There was a very special 80th birthday celebration recently for one of our residents Mervyn. He was joined by family and friends and in particular The Salvation Army who came and performed for us all, it was a lovely afternoon and everyone had a fantastic time. Happy birthday Mervyn!

Staff News

Barchester's Employee of the month scheme recognises the hard work that individual staff members have contributed to the home. Anyone can nominate and voting forms can be found in the main reception. Congratulations to our recent winners who thoroughly deserve the recognition for their efforts and achievements!

A special congratulations also to our Deputy Manager Neli Koleva, who received a prestigious Long Service Award in celebration of working at Barchester Healthcare for 15 years!

Congratulations

Employee of the month

January Kayleigh Reeves

February Samantha Whatley

March Ady Syder

A few words from Barchester

Who gets your nomination this

year?

Nominations are now open for the

Barchester Care Awards 2017, our annual

celebration of the special people working and

volunteering in our homes and hospitals.

If you know a Barchester staff member who

does an outstanding job and goes above and

beyond their normal day-to-day duties to

help residents, patients and their families, let

us know!

The categories range from Carer/Support

Worker of the Year and Registered Nurse of

the Year to Volunteer of the Year and Home

Administration Champion.

To nominate a member of staff, please

complete the nomination form on our

website or pick up a paper form from any

Barchester care home. Nominations close

on 30th April.

The online nomination form can be found

here: www.barchester.com/our-

people/barchester-care-awards-2017

Carehome.co.uk is the UK’s leading care home website. It’s the care industry’s equivalent of Trip Advisor. If you are pleased with the care you or a relative are receiving at a Barchester home, please consider sharing your experience with others who are looking for good quality care by submitting a review. You can pick up a review card to fill in at any Barchester care home or you can go to www.carehome.co.uk to submit a review online.

Carehome.co.uk

A big thank you to our volunteers

Our volunteers are wonderful people! Giving up time regularly to improve the lives of others is no small thing and the difference it makes is gigantic. 20th April is Volunteer Recognition Day so Barchester would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to every single one of our volunteers. If you would like to volunteer or find out more about what you could do to help, please speak to the General Manager at your nearest Barchester home or hospital or visit: www.barchester.com/our-people/volunteers

Dr Pete Calveley, Chief Executive of Barchester Healthcare has said he is 'honoured' to be the new Chairman of Barchester's Charitable Foundation, a charity which gives support to older people and other adults living with a disability.

Pete stepped into the role in January, taking over from Mike Parsons who chose to step down after nearly 12 years as Chairman of the Foundation.

The Foundation is a grant giving charity helping older and disabled people in England, Scotland and Wales increase their independence and improve their quality of life. It was created by Barchester in 2000 as a way to give more back to the communities it serves and has awarded nearly £2.3 million in grants since 2003.

Last year the Foundation provided 169 grants to individuals and small community groups, many of which went to projects tackling isolation through social activity, such as Dementia Adventure and the Wild at Heart project organised by Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust.

Dr Pete Calveley says: “Barchester's Charitable Foundation gives vital support to some of the most vulnerable people living in our communities and I'm honoured to be able to play a key role in that work.

“I'm looking forward to working alongside the Trustees to ensure the Foundation continues to allocate grants where they will have the biggest impact for the people we aim to help.

“Thank you to everyone who helped fundraise for the Foundation in 2016 and those who are planning future fundraising activities. Without your continued support, we wouldn't be able to provide these life-changing grants.”

Every pound raised for the Foundation by Barchester staff is matched by Barchester Healthcare.

Barchester’s CEO takes on charity Chairman role

Marathon man Mark needs your support!

Head Chef Mark, from Chacombe Park Care Home, is running his first ever marathon to raise money for Barchester’s Charitable Foundation. You can help him reach his fundraising target by sponsoring him here: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/Markroberts79

Dates for your Diary

April Thursday 13th at 11am – Easter Holy Communion Service: The Reverend Mike and Gwen from All Saints Church, Wouldham will be visiting Winchester House for Holy Communion and hymns in Peters Mews Lounge And then at 3pm – Easter raffle and afternoon tea in Lafarge lounge – Everyone welcome.

Tuesday 18th 11:30am- Right Step Active Armchairs, Stephanie visits to provide a variety of music & exercise in Cathedral Square.

Wednesday 19th 11am - Informative Talks with Nigel Dawson provides entertainment and reminiscence services using digital technology with pictures, video and music in Lafarge lounge.

Thursday 20th 3pm – Residents meeting in Lafarge Lounge.

Monday 24th 11:30am - Steve Erickson is visiting Winchester House at 11:30am in Lafarge lounge, Steve will be singing favorites’ old and new, interacting with his audience along with the help of his wife Pauline in Lafarge. You’ll always have the luck of the Irish when Steve comes to town.

Tuesday 25th 11am - Motivation and Co Class: Provides specialist Cognitive motivation to residents. Sue works with the activities team to encourage residents to participate in this hour long class in Shorts Terrace Lounge. Sue visits once a month.

Thursday 27th 11am – Lafarge Singers with Ben Insall in Lafarge lounge.

Friday 28th 10:30am – All Saints Church coffee morning.

More dates for your diary….

May Wednesday 3rd 11:30am – Entertainment by Jasmine in Cathedral Square.

Friday 12th 11:30am - Jason Allen Swing singer & Michael Buble tribute: His tribute to the great American songbook includes some great songs by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin as well as modern favorite Michael Buble, in Lafarge lounge.

Tuesday 23rd May 2pm – Kingfisher boat trip.

June Thursday 1st 11:30am – Chair yoga with Kerry in Lafarge lounge.

Tuesday 13th 10:15am – 2:15pm – 2nd Kingfisher boat trip.

Friday 16th 2pm – National Care Home Open Day/Garden Party in Lafarge Courtyard, Everyone welcome!

Friday 30th June 10:30am – All Saints Church coffee morning will be held at Winchester House this month in Lafarge.

Regular Activities and Services Hairdresser – Alison is here Tuesday’s & Thursday’s

Holy Communion from St John Fisher RC Church every week

Frances from Medway Libraries visits once a month