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The Oaks Care Home teams up with three local schools for sports days

Staff and residents from The Oaks Care Home in Newtown, Powys teamed up with three local primary schools to help them to celebrate their annual sports days.

The home was invited along to sports days at Ysgol Maesyrhandir and Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd, both in Newtown and also provided refreshments for St Mary’s Catholic Primary School’s sports day.

We worked with Powys Produce to provide lots of fresh fruit and water for all the children at the three schools to enjoy and to keep them refreshed and hydrated.

Daniel Hart, Registered Manager of The Oaks, said: “Our residents love a day out and to meet new people so the trips to the school sports days were a real treat for them. They enjoyed watching the children compete and seeing their happy faces.

“For many of our residents it was the first time they had been to a school sports day since watching their own children take part.

“We feel it is vital for our residents to feel like they are still very much a part of their local community – as they are. This has been very difficult over the past two years due to Covid, but we are excited to get integrated back within our community and we hope to work with, and take part in, many future community events and activities.”

One of The Oaks residents, Margaret Meddie Hughes, 89, said: “I stayed all afternoon at Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd and I was so impressed by all the children being active and healthy and I also enjoyed seeing the teachers take part in some events as well. It’s nice to see everyone having fun together.”

Fellow resident Pamela Dunkey, 73, went to the sports day at Maesyrhandir School. She said: “I enjoyed the day very much. I really liked seeing the children out having fun and enjoying the afternoon outside in the sun.”

Jo Whittington, Administration Officer for St Mary’s Catholic Primary School said: “We had a fantastic sports day and the weather was beautiful. It was very kind of The Oaks Care Home to donate fruit and water for the children.”

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Alpacas surprise residents at The Oaks – and make the news across the world

Two friendly alpacas called Alex and Bethany surprised residents today at The Oaks Care Home.
The woolly visitors popped into the home to meet residents, joining them at afternoon tea in the lounge and even popping up in the lift to see residents in their bedrooms on the top floor.
The visit was arranged by activities coordinator Izzy Titley and Daniel Hart, the new Registered Manager of The Oaks, who is on a mission to bring exciting new ideas to the daily lives of people living in a care home.
Alpaca Bethany was introduced to one of the home’s carers and namesake Bethan who said: “It made my day to give Bethany a big hug.”
Both alpacas took a trip up in the lift to visit 100-year-old resident Frances Williams in her bedroom. She said: “Oh my gosh. What a shock! I was just watching afternoon television when they walked in. It was lovely to stroke them.”
Resident Sylvia Hughes, 79, giggled: “Oh my lord I’ve seen it all now! You have absolutely made my day.”
Daniel Hart, 42, who has worked in the care sector for 20 years, said: “We have a great team at The Oaks and we love coming up with new and unusual ideas to brighten up the lives of our residents.
“Some of our residents mentioned that they’d love a trip to Chester Zoo but we thought it would be more fun to bring the animals to them. The alpacas were a big hit and it was wonderful to see the look on everyone’s faces when they arrived.
“I believe it’s so important for our residents to have a full and interesting life and we’ve got bags of creative ideas including a schedule of events to get them out into the heart of the community.”
Activities coordinator Izzy Titley said: “I’m leaving The Oaks in a few weeks to travel round the world and I wanted to pull some final tricks out of my hat to surprise the residents. I told them we were just having our usual Friday afternoon bingo!
“They met Digby the dog at Christmas and that was brilliant pet therapy but we’ve stepped it up bringing alpacas into the home. All the residents love animals and it was lovely that the alpacas were free to walk around the home and interact with everyone.”
The Huacaya alpacas are part of a therapeutic team of seven alpacas from Admirals View Alpacas in Shropshire, which is run by Sarah Tickle.
Sarah Tickle said: “Alpacas are very friendly animals and they loved their visit to The Oaks Care Home. They’re comfortable in the lift so even residents on different floors didn’t miss out on their visit.”

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St David’s Day celebrated in style at The Oaks Care Home

The Oaks Care Home in Newtown, Powys celebrated St David’s Day in style this week.

Staff put on a series of themed activities throughout the day, including daffodil arranging, biscuit making and patriotic face-painting and residents also made paper daffodil brooches and button-holes.

There was a special lunch menu with Welsh rarebit, followed by Welsh leg of lamb and Bara Brith and local ice-cream.

Jen Roberts, Registered Manager of The Oaks, said: “We love putting on specially themed days for our residents. A couple of weeks ago we had a lovely Valentine’s Day Ball and this week we celebrated St David’s Day in style. Everyone had a memorable day.”

The Oaks Care Home in Newtown, Powys, is part of the Sandstone Care Group. The Sandstone Care team are passionate about providing outstanding, resident-led care within a modern setting.

The Oaks Care Home has 73 bedrooms, all with en-suites, and offers 24-hour residential care.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Love is in the air at The Oaks Care Home this Valentine’s Day

The Oaks Care Home in Newtown, Powys is celebrating the most romantic night of the year by holding a Valentine’s Ball for its residents.

Staff have been working hard to create a special day for everyone in the home, including a number of married couples who live there together.

As well as a special afternoon tea with homemade decorated cookies, there will be Love Bingo with prizes to be won, a couple of familiar game shows to take part in and a chance to dress up with the theme of wearing something red.

Jen Roberts, Registered Manager of The Oaks, said: “We have got a lovely day planned for all our residents.

“We’ll be handing out roses at the door along with glasses of cranberry fizz in champagne glasses. The ladies have had their hair and nails done in the salon and we’ve helped them make red brooches and designed lovely gift bags.

“We’ve asked residents to reminisce about their favourite love songs and we’ve drawn up a playlist with numbers by Vera Lynn, Elvis, Billy Joel, Tom Jones and the Welsh Male Choir.

“We’re going to finish off with a ball dance and waltz and some karaoke.

“The pandemic has bought enormous challenges for the entire care sector and there hasn’t been a lot to celebrate in lockdown but we thought a Valentine’s Day Ball would be something everyone could look forward to and get involved in. We have been delighted with the response we have had from everyone in the home.”

 

Brian and Frances still in love this Valentine’s Day

A couple who have been married for 57 years and who moved into The Oaks Care Home together eight months ago have shared their tips for staying together this Valentine’s Day.

Brian Rogers, 85, a retired long-distance lorry driver, says the secret to a happy marriage is being able to work well together and be able to compromise.

His wife Frances, 83, who worked in a window factory before she got married, says Brian’s poetic tendencies make him a true romantic.

The couple first met each other at a hospital where Brian was visiting his sister, who had just had a baby. Frances says it was love at first sight and that he was ‘the best looking out of the four brothers visiting their sister.’

The couple, who have a 58-year-old daughter called Chris, have found it difficult not being able to see their family during lockdown.

Frances said: “It has been very hard not being able to see our lovely daughter for so long but we’re so glad to still have each other in the home and to have Facetime with family.

“Brian has always been romantic and his poetic side surprised me on our 50th wedding anniversary. Some couples buy flowers or chocolates but Brian wrote me a poem about our love which he sent to the local newspaper.

“My favourite part of the poem.  “I’ve got the answer to that question I asked so long ago except, with life’s experiences and finally reaching gold the answers wiser than the question: we love each other now we’re old.

“I’m so happy we can be together in The Oaks – with him near me, I will never be alone.”

Jen Roberts, Registered Care Manager of The Oaks, said: “It’s lovely to have such a moving example of true love with us in The Oaks this Valentine’s Day.”

 

 The County Times ran the story about our Valentine’s Day Ball which you can read here

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Residents and staff at The Oaks Care Home raising money for Save The Children

Staff and residents at The Oaks Care Home will be wearing their Christmas jumpers to support Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day on December 11.

They will also be taking part in a range of activities to support their fundraising.

The Oaks Care Home Activity Co-Ordinator Isabelle Titley will also be paddle boarding around the Welsh reservoir Lake Vyrnwy dressed as Mother Christmas to boost funds.

Registered Manager Jen Roberts said: “We’re delighted that residents and staff are keen to get involved in this year’s Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day.

“We have set up a Facebook page for relatives and friends of The Oaks to support us.”

To support The Oaks Care Home’s campaign please visit their JustGiving page https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/isabelle-titley

Or scan the QR code to easily find the page:

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The Oaks takes part in national Feeding Heroes Campaign

Staff at The Oaks in Newtown have taken part in a national campaign to highlight all the good work being done by care homes.

The campaign, called ‘Feeding Heroes’, is being run by Care Home Life and aims to #PassOnSomeCheer to over 9,000 social care workers during lockdown. The motive behind the campaign is to shed a positive light on the fantastic work done by care home staff, and to lift the spirits of care workers by providing them with a thoughtful free lunch.

Debbie Smith of Care Home Life said: “We’re committed to supporting care homes, care workers and their residents as best as we possibly can throughout this crisis.”

The Oaks received 26 freshly pre-packed lunchboxes for its members of staff as a way of recognising their devotion to residents.

Jennifer Roberts, Registered Manager of The Oaks, said her team were thrilled that the home took part in the initiative.

She said: “We are so proud of our staff, who always go the extra mile for the residents here at The Oaks. The Feeding Heroes campaign is a lovely way of recognising the hard work and dedication of all our workers during this difficult time.”

The campaign has reached thousands of individuals and has brought a smile to those working tirelessly to support care home residents across the country.

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