care home Archives - Southcare Homes Group

How to Help Those with Dementia on Bonfire Night

5 Tips to Help Those with Dementia on Bonfire Night

November ushers in the autumn layers, warm drinks and firelit nights. Fireworks too. While the sound of booms, pops and whizzes are exciting for most of us, for some with dementia it can be a cause of distress. Here are some tips to help bring relief while fireworks are going off on bonfire night.

1. Stay calm

By keeping calm when another is in distress, you can provide an emotional anchor and not exacerbate the situation. Try to think about how they are feeling right now. Striving to show empathy and put yourself in their situation may help you react in a more understanding manner, no matter how they address you. Take time to consider how you will answer them.

2. Use gentle body language and a soothing tone

Linked with keeping calm is also doing your best to create a calm atmosphere. Your tone of voice can make a difference. Speaking with a soothing, gentle tone at a steady pace can help dissipate distress in someone that has dementia. Rapid, jerking movements can denote aggression so do your best to use soft, slow movements around them.

3. Create a relaxing environment

Remove anything nearby that could worsen the level of distress experienced. For instance, anything that makes sudden loud noises, overly bright lights – anything that could harass the senses could cause further distress. Minimise surrounding distractions where possible.

4. Understand the person and their needs

Knowing much about the person with dementia will help you to understand how best to help them. Once you’re aware of their personality, their background and history, it may give you an indication of what situations and stimuli may be triggering for them. Once you know what makes them tick or are aware of the underlying causes of their distress, you can be better informed to provide support and relief.

5. Provide opportunities for meaningful engagement

It’s not enough just to create a relaxing environment. The sounds of fireworks are likely to permeate. So, keep them occupied in an activity that is meaningful and one they find enjoyable. Reassure them with your presence, words and active engagement. Validating their feelings helps shift their focus away from the noise and may help calm the person down.

Resident holding a sparkler in garden — A previous Bonfire Night at Highbury House, Rottingdean. A dear resident enjoying the fun of sparklers!

There are great benefits to either hosting or attending a bonfire night celebration for residents. And the above tips can be used in any distressing situation. We wish you all the best with bonfire season and hope as many as possible can enjoy it.

21/10/2024 / by Amber

Grasmere’s First Trip Out with Oomph! Wellness

At the end of August, our residents had an amazing day on our first outing with Oomph Wellness! Our activities coordinator, Antony, arranged a trip with them to the stunning Kew Gardens in London. We had a smooth journey up to London and Oomph! made sure that all was well before our journey.

Outside the Orangery, we had a homemade picnic and afterwards took a beautiful walk down The Great Broad Walk Borders that had colourful flowers in the borders. Residents were amazed by the Weeping Beech Tree which had the most incredible looking trunk.

Conservatories & Cacti

Later, we made our way through the Princess of Wales Conservatory. It had a vast collection of Cacti and exotic plants. One of our residents, Valerie, said, “It was lovely being in the fresh air and being together with nice company. I was fascinated by the cacti.” Valerie even bought one as memento of her trip at the gift shop.

The day was finished with a walk through the vast Rock Garden. Of course, we also had to stop for a nice cup of tea. The beautiful views, fresh air and lots of laughter is what we all needed! Jean, one of our dear residents, said, “It exceeded my expectations and I saw parts of Kew I’d never seen before.” She concluded, “I was very taken by the trip.”

Thank you Oomph! Wellness for a lovely trip

Thank you to all the staff from Oomph Wellness for driving our residents to the gardens. Neil, our driver, was superb! He even changed our pick-up point as our party were very tired at the end of their full day. Thanks also to our Activities Coordinator, Antony, for organising this amazing trip. A Big thank you also to Debbie and Ioana for taking such a good care of the residents during the outing. Now, our residents can’t wait to go back to The Royal Botanical Gardens! Audrey said, “I would like to go again as I would like to see the other parts of Kew we were not able to see.” We look forward to our next outing with Oomph!

01/09/2021 / by Amber

Care Home in Ringmer Celebrates Ascot with Horse Parade

Residents and staff at Lime Tree House Care Home in Ringmer, Lewes donned their best hats and outfits for Royal Ascot. However, this year, we had to adapt and adjust this very much awaited event due to the current situation, but the fun was guaranteed.

A Surprise for Ladies’ Day

The residents at Lime Tree House received a pleasant surprise on Ladies Day! Hannah, the granddaughter of one of our residents, brought her pony, Rory, and her horse, Woody, to our care home! We had an outside parade to mark this day. Our two equestrian guests were exceptionally well mannered and enjoyed the attention from our residents and staff.

Horsing Around: Little Rory shows us his best side as he trots round the car park. (Lime Tree House, Care Home in Ringmer)

Creating Meaningful Links with Our Community

Community engagement is very important to us. Every member of staff greatly appreciates and values each resident as an individual. That’s why we host events like these, to show our dear residents how much they mean to us, as well as to others in our local area.

“It was such a delight to be able to put on a show for the lovely residents at Lime Tree House. We are constantly looking for new ways to engage with our local community. This experience will stay with all of us for a long time. It was so good to see the smiles on their faces and being able to do something meaningful for all of them”.
Hannah, Owner of Rory The Pony

“It was so lovely to see all our residents and staff horsing around and enjoying the event. Their smiles where wide as a furlong. Our sincere thanks to our resident’s relatives for getting involved and making this happen”.
Julie MCPHATER, care home manager

What is Lime Tree House like?

Lime Tree House is a residential care home in Ringmer, part of Southcare Homes Group. This family-run business provides high-quality, person-centred care and a unique way of life for the elderly. Our dedicated care providers staff strive to create happy homes and always work with a smile. Lime Tree House provides residential and respite care for the elderly. New residents are more than welcome and we always ensure we are there for those who need care and support.

Keeping everyone safe is also a priority for us. That’s why we have an unambiguous admission policy and robust infection control protocols. We are always putting the needs of our residents and their loved ones first. As a result, we are rising to every challenge this pandemic throws our way. Please give us a call if you are looking for care or need further help: 01273 813 755. You can also visit our website, www.southcarehomes.com/. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook.

18/06/2021 / by Amber

Tag: care home