Cloisters - 06 July 2010

Pupils brighten up the day at Cloisters Care Home

Creative youngsters from a Hounslow school have brightened the lives of residents at a local care home by creating 24 masterpiece paintings.

Cloisters Care Home, in Bath Road, will be officially presented with the works of art from St Michael and St Martin RC Primary School on Friday July 2.

Talented pupils at the school, in Belgrave Road, have painted the artwork on canvases which will be displayed around the care home.

The pictures include handprint paintings from the youngest children in the school’s reception class, finger paintings of story characters such as The Hungry Caterpillar, a cross, polka dots, a house, and seaside and country side scenes from children from the rest of the school.

The artistic children have even based some of the canvases on the work of famous artists, including a pink heart in the style of Picasso, and a sunflower in the style of Van Gough.

Teacher Imogen Clark said the children had enjoyed taking part in the project.

“The whole school, apart from Year 6, took part,” said Miss Clark. “It was a really nice project to be involved with. The paintings were linked in to work the children have been doing in literacy and art, but the children came up with the ideas of what to paint. They are all very excited that their work is going to be displayed on the walls of Cloisters Care Home.

“We have also linked the project to one of our school projects about respect. It is really good for the children to have the experience of visiting the residents, they really get a lot out of it.”

Alpha Care Homes, which owns Cloisters Care Home, provided the canvases and made a donation towards the cost of the art materials.

Cloisters Care Home activity coordinator Alex Henderson said: “The paintings are absolutely brilliant and will be a welcome addition to our walls. We have been linking up with the school for a number of years now.

“Children from the school visit our residents a couple of times a year to sing for them and perform a nativity play. Our residents love it when the children visit – the two different generations get on really well. We were trying to think of a way of linking up with them again that was a bit different and we thought of the paintings. The pictures will bring our residents a lot of pleasure.

“We are planning to hang some of them in corridors and public areas, and some will be hung in residents’ bedrooms. We will be able to swap the paintings around on a regular basis so people will always be looking at something different,” she added.

Cloisters - 17 June 2010

FARMYARD COMES TO CARE HOME

Residents at a Hounslow care home are brimming with excitement about a forthcoming visit from some old friends – a farmyard full of animals.
Lambs, goats, kids, piglets, chickens, ducks, dogs and kittens from the Miller’s Ark Mobile Farm will drop in at Cloisters Care Home in Bath Road on Thursday June 17th.
The farm, based in Odiham, Hampshire, proved a big hit when it visited the residents with its menagerie last year.
And senior activities coordinator Alex Henderson said: “The residents can hardly wait to see them again.
“The animals will be in our large garden and those residents able to go outside will be able to pet and feed them in their pens.
“The farm staff take lambs, goats, dogs and kittens inside as well to see those residents who cannot get out of bed or who are in chairs.
“The residents didn’t want them to go at the end of the visit and we had to check round carefully to make sure they hadn’t smuggled any away!”
The visit is part of a busy schedule of activities organised to entertain and stimulate the residents at Cloisters, which is part of Alpha Care Homes.
Miller’s Ark Animals was established in 1991 by Elizabeth Miller, as an offshoot of her main farming business.  It brings the sights, sounds and experiences of the farmyard to the heart of events, schools, nurseries and residential homes.

Cloisters - 12 May 2010

INTERNATIONAL CELEBRATIONS AT CLOISTERS CARE HOME

Residents at a Hounslow care home enjoyed a cultural treat when they were whisked around 18 different countries all in one afternoon.

Staff at Cloisters Care Home, in Bath road, organised their very own International Day on Wednesday May 12.

The event was held at the home, owned by Alpha Care Homes, to celebrate the fact that the home’s staff is made up of people from 18 different nationalities.

Countries represented included India, Nepal, Jamaica, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Mauritius, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, the Philippines, England, Lithuania, Morocco, Pakistan, Italy, Zimbabwe, Dominican Republic and Burma.
Cloisters residents were able to see national flags, sample food and drink and listen to traditional music from the various countries. And staff, dressed in the national costume of the country they originated from, were on hand tell residents all about their country’s culture and history.
Activities coordinator Alexandra Henderson said the idea to hold the event had come after staff started chatting about the different countries they came from.
“When we started asking people and making a list, we realised we had people working here from 18 different countries and we just thought it was something worth celebrating,” she said.
“The day was absolutely fantastic. We had ladies dressed in beautiful saris, men in gowns – the residents loved all the colours – and the food was phenomenal.
“We had everything from Guinness punch and salt fish from Jamaica to pasta from Italy. It was just a brilliant day for the staff and residents.
“It was also lovely for our residents to find out more about the members of staff who care for them and spend so much time with them.
“We try to do as many different activities as possible for our residents at Cloisters and this one was certainly a huge hit.”

Cloisters - 27 April 2010

PAMPERING SO THAT ‘GRANS LOOK AS GLAMOROUS AS THEIR GRANDDAUGHTERS!’

Residents at a Hounslow care home are in for some pampering, with a day of facials, massages, pedicures, manicures and relaxing music – to help them look ‘as glamorous as their granddaughters’.

Cloisters Care Home decided to hold a pamper day to cheer up its residents for spring, following the harsh winter – and amongst those lining up for the pamper treatments tomorrow (Wednesday April 21st) will be 99-year-old Pinkie Harrison.

Senior activities coordinator Alex Henderson has organised the event with her colleague Jacqueline Phillips.

Alex, Jacqueline, Lynette Gravesande, business development manager for Alpha Care Homes, and carers from Cloisters, will be giving the beauty treatments between 10am and 12 noon and from 2 to 3pm.

Alex said: “There will be beautiful music playing, chocolates to eat and Bucks Fizz to drink and residents from both our nursing and dementia units will be taking part.

“We want our residents to know they are just as special now as ever and they can still have the beauty treatments they used to go to salons for.

“You’re never too old for some pampering and we’ll have them looking as glamorous as their granddaughters.

“I know Pinkie Harrison, who is 99, is aiming to have ‘the works’ of the treatments we will be offering.”

Cloisters - 01 April 2010

‘EVERGREEN’ CHOIR IS BIG HIT AT CARE HOME

Residents at a Hounslow care home enjoyed a good old sing-along when members of a gospel choir for people aged over 65 dropped in.
The Evergreen Choral Group, from Ealing Christian Centre in Northfield, sang for about 60 residents at Cloisters, which is owned by Alpha Care Homes, on Tuesday March 30th.
Jacqueline Phillips, senior therapist coordinator at the home, in Bath Road, Hounslow, said: “Our residents love a good sing-along and they were able to join in with the beautiful music of the choir.
“Music is a wonderful therapy for older people and anyone with dementia.  I had seen the Evergreen Choral Group before and just knew they would be a big hit with our residents.
“It’s a multicultural choir, with members aged up into their 80s, and they have a great sound.”

Cloisters - 16 September 2009

Care home residents step back in time for charity

Residents at a Middlesex care home are set to put their best foot forward for a sponsored walk with a wartime twist.

Cloisters Care Home, in Hounslow, will be holding a memory walk on September 14 to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Residents will be joined by friends, relatives and staff to complete laps of the Bath Road home’s garden to pull in the pounds for the charity.

The event will have a Second World War theme which will see participants carry a ration book, which will be stamped after every lap, and those taking part will don a brown label like those worn by evacuees.

Residents will also be asked a simple question about the war at the end of each lap.

Alex Henderson, the home’s senior activities coordinator, said Cloisters decided to organise its own walk because it was unable to travel to official memory walk events in other parts of the country.

“The residents and staff at Cloisters wanted to get involved in the memory walks but, unfortunately, it was a logistical nightmare trying to get so many residents to these events,” she said.

“We felt the simplest thing to do was to put on our own memory walk so that nobody at the home missed out.

“It will also be a great opportunity for friends and family members to get together and have a fun day doing something worthwhile.

“The Hounslow Alzheimer’s Society helps us run a quarterly dementia support group for family members and carers at Cloisters, so raising money for this cause has even more significance for us.”

The next support group is set to take place in November and members of the public are welcome to join. Those who want more information can contact the home’s manager on 020 8572 4131.

Cloisters opened a new dementia unit earlier this year.

Cloisters - 17 July 2009

A New Aromatherapist for Cloisters

Cloisters Care Home in Hounslow gave a big welcome to their new Aromatherapist Linda who started at the home last week. Cloisters have recently opened a new Dementia service at the home on Bath Road and the residents will benefit from the aromatherapy sessions being conducted by Linda.

A Big Warm welcome from all at Alpha!

Cloisters - 12 May 2009

Mobile Farm comes to Cloisters

The Residents and Staff at Cloisters Care Home had a real treat with a visit from some two and four legged friends.

Miller's Ark the mobile farm visited on Thursday 7th May with Ducks, Sheep, Pig's, Goats, Kittens and a Donkey. The farm was set up in the grounds at Cloisters.

Alex Henderson the Activity Co-ordinator at Cloisters Care Home organised the event and said "Everyone had a wonderful time, all the animals were well behaved and it was lovely to see the residents having a great time with the animals"

Cloisters - 01 April 2009

101st Birthday Celebrations

Resident Irene Wyld celebrated her 101st Birthday at Cloisters Care Home last week. The day was full of party atmosphere and the celebrations were enjoyed by fellow residents and staff who tried to make the day as special as possible for Irene.

Cloisters - 17 February 2009

New Dementia Unit Opens at Cloisters

A specialised unit has opened for elderly residents in Hounslow suffering from dementia at Cloisters Care Home, in Bath Road.

The service, complete with sensory room, memory boxes and reminiscence boards, will be officially launched on Wednesday by Hounslow Mayor Genevieve Hibbs.

One of its main features is a sensory room, equipped with light boxes, special effects projectors, a mirror ball, fibre optic tubes and soothing music.

Complementary therapies will also be offered within the room, which has been designed to calm and relax restless residents.

Other features include memory boxes outside all residents' rooms, 3D signs, rummage boxes with reminders of everyday life, and reminiscence boards where residents are able to display mementoes from their lives.

Work is also underway to create an enclosed garden with raised borders and safe walkways, where residents will be able to relax and try their hand at a spot of gardening.

Care home manager Friday Eborieme, who has spent more than 20 years helping those with dementia, said there was a genuine need for more patient-centred services for such people both nationally and locally.

"Our aim is to enable those with dementia to live as normal and independent a life as possible here at Cloisters," she added.