What does the role of Lifestyle Leader entail?
I lead our Lifestyles team and organise the activities and wellbeing at the home. My job is making sure the residents have meaningful engagement during the day and that their mental and emotional wellbeing is being looked after by offering a really robust programme.
What does a usual day at Maycroft Manor Care Home look like for you?
On a normal day, I come in and set up the communal areas with interesting articles, magazines books, jigsaws and other things to do that are specific to individual residents. I also say good morning to everyone and talk about what they would like to do that day.
After that I run activities or plan activities with my team, I meet with the team and go through 1-2-1 activities planned and things that individual residents need for the day, then I help with lunch service and try to make that fun and interesting. In the afternoon I like to get out in garden with the residents or run another activity.
At Maycroft Manor, we typically provide 15 activities a day, and we have different activity schedules for residents living on our residential, nursing and dementia communities. Activities range from yoga to art history, poetry to quizzes, and gardening to musical activities such as singalongs, which are really enjoyed by residents living on our dementia community. Prior to the pandemic our residents really enjoyed intergenerational activities such as visits from local nurseries and schools. We are really looking forward to working again with local schools as the national situation improves.
How do you keep residents connected with their loved ones?
We are currently facilitating garden visits for residents and their loved ones in our comfortable visiting suite. We have purchased several ipads to support our residents to have weekly video calls with their friends and family and we have also installed an app called Rels App. This app is exclusive to Maycroft and our other Hallmark care homes and allows families and residents to send each other messages, pictures and videos which can be replayed again at a later date. We have also been running projects between residents and their family members such as making flowers to send each other as well as sending families weekly photos of residents doing activities.
How do you ensure that the residents embrace the activities programme on offer?
We do so by getting to know each and every resident and how they want to spend their day, but also by offering activities that are exciting. We change the programme every week and when a resident moves in, we will change it again to tailor it to them and what they would like to do.
How do you encourage the team to get to know the residents?
Through 121 activities. When a new resident comes to us, one of our team will visit them every day and take an activity to them to get a flavour of the activities the resident likes and enjoys.
Do you have a personal highlight in your role?
I have recently been nominated for two national care awards which is amazing. But for me, it’s lots of little things such as when people say that me being here has been a real difference or when families say the atmosphere in Maycroft is really lovely, its residents being happier and individuals being more settled since we’ve had a more diverse activities programme.
What makes you proud to work at Maycroft Manor?
The person-centred care that we provide at Maycroft Manor, everything we do here has residents at the centre and however they want to live we will make it happen. When people move in, we adapt the way we provide care because our residents and their interests and needs are changing. I hope that people who live at Maycroft Manor feel like they’ve got a really good sense of themselves and are part of a warm and friendly community.
How do you spend your free time?
I’m in a choir and a band so I spend a lot of my spare time making music. I love being outside, I like being out in nature, going for walks, going up mountains and swimming in the sea.