Oldbur y Care Home Wins Prestigious Award for Innovative Initiative

A care home in Oldbury has been named a winner in the West Midlands Care Association (WMCA) awards for 2023 for an innovative campaign aimed at improving the lives of its residents

Portway House took home the prestigious award for its ‘What’s the Memory’ initiative, developed to inspire treasured memories among its residents

The campaign which took place in April this year involved having a series of memory boards placed throughout the home, filled with pictures relating to a specific theme such as childhood memories or holidays

Residents were encouraged to engage with the images and share cherished stories of their past with staff and fellow residents Evoking positive memories in this way is an effective way of stimulating recollections, promoting social interaction, and reducing anxi- ety and depression among older people

Kim Young care home manager at Portway House said:

“We aim to go above and beyond to promote our residents’ wellbeing and this award is great recognition of all the staff do to ensure we provide fulfilling experiences that make a positive difference

It was wonderful to see the positive impact the campaign had on our residents as they shared precious memoirs and experiences from their lives and I m proud of our dedicated staff who worked hard to make it a success ”

The West Midlands Care Association Awards celebrate excellence and innovation in care provision, and this accolade is a testament to Portway House Care Home s commitment to providing the highest quality of care to its residents

Flower Power and The Swinging 60s are the Key To Happiness

At Friends of the Elderly s residential care home The Lawn in Alton Hampshire resident Kathleen Baines has been celebrating her landmark 95th birthday in true 1960s Flower Power style Born on 1st April 1928 Kathleen made sure she ‘Twisted , ‘Mash Potatoed’ and ‘Hitch Hiked’ on her special day at a 60s themed musical disco party put on for her by the care home team Kathleen, who moved to The Lawn in December 2016, grew up in Derbyshire during World War II and remembers how lucky she was to be living in the countryside during this time “We were fortunate to live in a rural area so we weren’t affected too much I do remember when the air raid siren went off though we had to go into the cellar sometimes for hours and hours with little food and not much to do,” Kathleen recalls

My father passed away before the war began and it was hard work for my mother to bring up four children on her own To give her a break, we used to stay with my grandparents who also lived in the countryside and I have fond memories of the great fun we had there ” Kathleen added

“Despite the hardships of the time I had a very happy childhood I always wanted to use my mother s sewing machine but that was totally off limits in case I broke it – but she did let me help her when she was baking or cooking She d sometimes let me put the jam into the jam tarts she d make they were so delicious Kathleen continued

Following the end of the war Kathleen and her family moved to Southampton where she attended school “My favourite lesson was Chemistry as I found it so interesting ” Kathleen said However it’s the 1960s that Kathleen loved the most My favourite decade of all has been the 60s I was grown up by then and could go out and enjoy myself The Swinging Sixties was a great time to be young The music fashion art innovation and even the toys were all so vibrant and colourful it was wonderful ” she added

Kathleen had quite a few jobs during her life including working as an Usherette in a theatre being employed as a Shoe Fitter and even working for Rolls Royce as a Clerical Assistant but her favourite role was working as a Florist “I loved putting the flowers together and making beautiful bouquets and arrangements perhaps that s my link back to the 60s Flower Power Kathleen continued “I’m very lucky as I can still do this at The Lawn I’ve always loved flowers and gardening and the gardens here are just so beautiful I think I have my mother’s love of baking as I still love to bake and get creative with my cake decorating I’ve made quite a few cakes since living at The Lawn – I haven’t had any complaints about them so hopefully everyone enjoys them Katheen added The Lawn care team know how much Kathleen loved the 1960s so made sure her special day was a ‘Groovy day she wouldn’t forget Festivities included a 60s themed celebration day complete with a 60s disco decorations mocktails and of course a delicious cake for the birthday girl

Alina Gutu the Registered Manager at The Lawn said: “Kathleen is a joy to have living with us here at The Lawn She loves to join in with all the activities and when she smiles, she lights up the room Kathleen is great fun and is always up for trying new things – and she loves a good party and a dance especially at our annual New Year’s Eve Knees-up ”

In closing Kathleen said: I m so happy living here at The Lawn The carers are so kind I spend time with friends and I also enjoy time on my own in my room playing cards The food is delicious and there’s always something to do I never get bored there just isn t time

I don t believe there is a secret to a long and happy life I believe you just live your life to the fullest every day which seems to be working for me ”