Purple Pancakes at Primrose!
Residents at Primrose House in Westward Ho! were losing sight of their pancakes as they flipped them skywards, so staff turned them purple. It worked a treat! Happy Purple Pancake Day!
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Primrose House: Knight Frank’s Luxury Care Home Guide 2020
Stonehaven were invited to Coutts in London on Wednesday last week, to celebrate the inclusion of Primrose House in Knight Frank’s 2020 Luxury Care Home Guide. 100 of the most prestigious care homes across the country are featured in this beautifully presented guide, so it was a real honour to be there and to meet other care home operators. Primrose House in Westward Ho! opened in September 2016. It’s location on the North Devon coast means that many of its 30 ensuite bedrooms enjoy views out to sea, as far as Saunton Sands and Lundy Island, on a clear day. The building was designed with the dementia resident in mind, with carefully chosen colours, lighting, textiles and lay-out. For more information about Primrose House, or to book an appointment to view, please call 01237 488023.
Owl visit to Westward Ho!
The residents at Bluebell House and Primrose House, our homes in Westward Ho! enjoyed a visit from a very lovely owl today. For most it was the first time they had actually held an owl. It was fantastic to see their faces and listen to them talking about her with her owner Nick.
Good luck England!
Stonehaven sponsored Ipplepen cricketers getting behind the England World Cup Cricket team against New Zealand today!
Training the Care Team
At Stonehaven, we take team training extremely seriously, to ensure we are providing the very highest standard of care to our residents. A comprehensive training package is provided for all our staff. We ask that all mandatory courses are completed within the first year of employment with us, with ad hoc and refreshers courses continuning throughout their Stonehaven career. Here are some of the Primrose House team, on a recent Safegaurding course with excellent trainer, Deborah Cox.
New name for Donnington – ‘Bluebell House’
Westcountry based Stonehaven Care Group have announced the name change of Donnington House, on Atlantic Way in Westward Ho! to the new name: ’Bluebell House.’ Bluebell House stands immediately next door to Primrose House, which is Stonehaven’s latest new build care home with state of the art care facilities.
Explaining the change, Stephen Stone, Managing Director of Stonehaven said: ”In 2005, just before Stonehaven Care Group acquired Donnington House care home in Westward Ho!, it was a 25-bed home that was giving good, compassionate care we created 10 new en-suite bedrooms, renovated all other areas and converted the lower-ground-floor layout to provide an all-important ‘circular walk route’; a facility that is such a real aid to those living in any dedicated dementia care setting.
”Having very recently further enlarged our Westward Ho! care service with an adjacent new state-of-the-art 30-bed building (named Primrose House), we feel it’s high time for us to give Donnington House a new name that reflects the status that home has achieved… what better than to pair with Primrose House via the new name Bluebell House. So, ‘Bluebell & Primrose’ it now is.”
The group felt that the new name would bring the home into alignment with Primrose House, following the theme of wild flowers. Ildiko Varadi of Bluebell House and Stephanie Johnson Manager of Primrose House, are delighted with the new name.
Ms Varadi said: ”It is lovely to follow a similar theme of wild flowers. The blue bell flower is known for its’ humility. It is also associated with everlasting love and constancy, which is very fitting with the care we provide our residents. We all look forward to Spring and when out walking in the lanes or countryside look forward to seeing the carpets of bluebell flowers in woodlands as they are one of the most glorious sights of the British spring landscape and a popular flower with our residents.”
Both homes are always pleased to show prospective residents and their families around, which is done in a way that does not disturb their current residents.
Rat Pack Pete performs at Primrose House
Rat Pack Pete’s performance at Primrose this month attracted over 20 residents. One of our ladies got up and took the stage to sing Frank Sinatra’s hit ‘My Way’. The lady in question was a professional singer and has sang to huge audiences in venues as big as the Albert Hall! She definitely still has that star quality!
Let’s Get Physical
Primrose House in Westward Ho! have recently introduced Move It Or Lose it exercise classes to their weekly activity programme. These are extremely popular, and the benefits to the residents physical and mental well being are great! The residents have all got stuck in and really enjoy these classes which are set to music.
Virtual Dementia Tour at Primrose House
As part of our ‘Dementia Awareness’ Open House at Primrose House on Thursday 1st November 2018, we have invited the Virtual Dementia Tour back to the home to provide guests and members of the local community the opportunty to get a glimpse of life as a Dementia sufferer. The VDT uses patented sensory tools and instruction based on research conducted by P.K. Beville, M.S., a specialist in geriatrics. During a Virtual Dementia Tour experience, trained facilitators guide participants outfitted with patented devices that alter their senses while they try to complete common everyday tasks and exercises. The Tour enables caregivers to experience for themselves the physical and mental challenges those with dementia face, and use the experience to provide better person-centered care.
The training is open to anyone with a link to the home, and will be Stonehaven funded. There are three sessions throughout the day:
9.30am – 12.00pm
12.15pm – 14.45pm
15.00pm – 17.15pm
To book your place on the VDT, please contact Emily Winslow on 01364 644208 or email: emilywinslow@stone-haven.co.uk
Little Blackie visits our Westward Ho! homes
‘Little Blackie’ belongs to one of our carers, Tracy, and was a huge hit with the residents at Donnington & Primrose. One of our residents, Shaun, use to be a jockey and absolutely loved meeting the horse and reminiscing about the days when he use to ride and work in the stables. For another resident, Lesley, it was the first time he had every stroked a horse – despite living near the burrows and seeing horses every day of his life he had never actually got close to one!
