Marita Westaway has taken the helm at King’s Manor Care Home, in Ottery St Mary, Devon bringing a wealth of experience to the role after 20 years in the care sector. She said: “Being a busy, outwardlooking, active, and engaged home is so important for us, and by connecting with others and bringing people in, we are also supporting the vibrancy of the brilliant Ottery St Mary community of which we’re proud to be a part.”

At Minster Grange Care Home in York, new manager Victoria Darlow is making changes to boost communication and empower staff to deliver the best care.

It has been an incredibly busy time for us all in recent weeks – and an exciting time, as the updated government restrictions have meant more visitors safely allowed into homes, and more visits out too. I know how special it has been for all of us to see families and friends reunited after so long.

Today we updated our board, we changed it from spring to summer, we decorated it with beautiful flamingos, palm trees and ice lollies. Lets bring on summer. Residents enjoyed looking at all the pretty bright colours. 

As part as the national nutrition and hydration week 2021, we at Manorhey enjoyed some healthy smoothies, made with our favourite fresh fruit. Residents got involved by chopping the fruit as part of the preparation for the smoothies. The residents felt lovely and refreshed and enjoyed the different variations of fruit.

A Friday afternoon was well spent decorating and sampling cupcakes. The chef very kindly, at short notice, whipped up a batch of scrummy cupcakes for our residents to decorate using fondant, icing, vanilla butter cream and chocolate icing as well as a variety of sprinkles. They looked and tasted amazing. 

Congratulations to Amber Court - May Regional Carnival competition category winner for the most creative event. Home Manager, Delma Dela Cruz, said staff and residents had a wonderful day and we are thrilled to have won a lovely sweet and biscuits hamper. Residents and staff and looking forward to tucking into the hamper. 

Bowerfield House made awareness of the nutrition hydration week, we enjoyed the cool beverages and fresh fruit on the hydration station that are on display every day and topped up regular through out the day, we talked about how important it was to keep fluids up on a hot day .

Our activities theme for the month of June here at Bowerfield Court is 'Travels Around The UK'. We have started off our armchair travels in Scotland where we have enjoyed looking at a wide variety of images including Edinburgh Castle, the Highland Games, Orkney Settlements, the amazing rock formations on the Isle of Skye, the Standing Stones of Callanish, the Robert the Bruce statue and William Wallace monument and also the different tartans of Scottish clans. Residents also shared their own stories of holidaying in the Highlands.

For Nutrition and Hydration Week we made fruit kebabs with a few added extras. These went down really well with both residents and staff being both refreshing and a little naughty with the drizzle of chocolate and marshmallow. 

We couldn't believe the transformation of Our Albert the Veg Man. We are really grateful to our Administrator Kirsty's mum for the work she's put in to transform him. I'm sure everyone agrees that he looks fantastic, I know we all do, he now has pride of place in our garden next to the Strawberry patch.