2023 has been a year of growth and change for all of us at Springkell House. We are incredibly proud of the wonderful team we have built here, who have all proven their commitment and dedication to the home throughout this year. The staff work very well as a team and have welcomed our new team members this year with so much warmth and support.
This was also the year that our fantastic Deputy Manager, Ion Gavrila, made the decision to begin the process of registering as Home Manager of Springkell House. Ion successfully completed this process, going through various checks and interviews, and was registered as Home Manager in December. This year also saw our former Activities Coordinator, Danka take on the role of Home Administrator. This is a great step for Danka and she is perfectly suited for the role.
Earlier in the year, our staff took part in a “Resident for the Day” experience, where the staff member lives the life of a resident at Springkell House for the day, taking part in activities, meal times and other daily tasks exactly as our residents do. This was such a valuable experience for the team to be in the shoes of our residents, giving them a better understanding of their struggles and needs. You can read more about it on our website; https://beritazcare.co.uk/resident-for-a-day-experience/
The team have continued to take part in regular key skills training, with several members of the team also choosing to pursue their own individual NVQ qualifications relating to their roles.
After all the hard work our staff have put in this year, it was nice to take some time to bond together as a team. We enjoyed a few staff social events this year including a barbecue in the summer and a bowling night. These activities are always a lot of fun and give our staff the chance get to know each other better.
We have been able to celebrate several successes in 2023, including receiving our five-star food hygiene rating, well done to our chef Jogi and the entire kitchen team. We were visited by CQC during the summer for our home inspection, they visited the home twice and we were pleased to have received positive feedback after both of these visits. In the final report we received an overall rating of ‘Good’, it is thanks to the hard work of our team that we were able to achieve this and maintain a high quality of care in the home.
We also want to thank our residents’ friends and family for your support this past year. We have seen an increase in attendance at our regular relatives meetings, which are now happening bi-monthly. It has been great to see so many of you at these meetings so we can update you on our plans and get your feedback on things that are happening at the home.
During 2023 there were some fantastic improvements made around Springkell House as part of our ongoing renovation project. The bedrooms have been redecorated and fitted with new furniture, we have given our hallways and doors a fresh coat of paint, as well as renovating our main entrance and porch area. These changes have made a big improvement to the home and we look forward to starting work on the communal areas in 2024.
There have been several fantastic events we have celebrated at the home this year, including the King’s coronation in May. We welcomed residents’ friends and family to join us and enjoyed music from one of our favourite musical entertainers Kevin, as well as delicious refreshments prepared by our talented chefs. We also hosted a very special birthday celebration for two of our residents, Mr and Mrs Hoy who celebrated their 90th birthdays with a party in the garden surrounded by their loved ones.
Our residents have enjoyed many fun activities during the year including animal therapy sessions, arts & crafts, musical entertainment and variety shows provided by external entertainers. We have also made time for some dedicated one-one-one sessions with residents and our staff members. These could involve helping a resident to partake in a favourite hobby, having a pamper session or simply enjoying a nice chat over a puzzle. These one-on-one sessions have proven to be so beneficial for our residents and give them a great opportunity to talk through anything that may be on their mind.
The highlight of the summer was hosting our afternoon tea garden party for our residents, their family members and friends. We were lucky to have glorious weather for the occasion, we had live musical entertainment in the garden while enjoying an afternoon tea with delicious homemade cakes.
After celebrating Halloween and Bonfire Night, as well as commemorating Remembrance Sunday, we ended the year with some wonderful Christmas festivities at the home. Throughout December the residents took part in Christmas themed arts & crafts, baking and helping to decorate the home ready for Christmas.
We hosted a Christmas party for the Springkell House team, it was a fantastic way to celebrate a great year and all the hard work the team had put in. Everyone had a lot of fun and commented that it was the best staff party we’ve ever had. We also enjoyed a Christmas pantomime at the home for the residents in the run-up to the big day, it was very entertaining, the residents loved watching the show and interacting with the performers. All these festive activities put everyone in the Christmas mood and we spent a wonderful day at the home, handing out presents, enjoying a delicious lunch and celebrating Christmas together.
It has been wonderful to end the year on such a high and we are looking forward to seeing what the new year has in store for us all at Springkell House.
