Kindness is exhibited throughout our homes with the care provided by teams to our residents and in the interactions between residents, staff and visiting family and friends. This kindness is being extended out into their local communities in various ways.
Garth House Care Home in Dorking have started working with Dorking Knitting Group and every Thursday welcome visitors into the home to join in their ‘Knit a Square’ Blanket Campaign. Those involved knit a 20cm x 20cm square, which will then be joined together to form blankets to keep those people in need, warm through the colder months.
Eniko Vekony, Garth House Home Manager said, “being part of this worthwhile initiative with Dorking Knitting Group has been great fun for our residents. As well as showing kindness and being helpful to those who need extra support”.
At Abbeycrest Care Home in Sonning Common, keen knitter and resident, Barbara, has been busy knitting squares to make colourful blankets. This is in preparation to donate to the Chemogiftbags charity. Chemogiftbags supply gift bags that can help breast cancer patients through their treatment. The blanket will be given to breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy based at The Royal London Hospital.
Sonia da Silva, Abbeycrest Home Manager added: “Knitting is great for our residents – it helps reduce depression and anxiety, slow the onset of dementia, and distract from pain. This, coupled with donating to charity gives us a better connection to the community which is great for our wellbeing”.
Magna Care Centre in Wimborne started undertaking random acts of kindness, involving charity initiatives and getting creative for local organisations last year. The home has been making laminated placemats for the home-delivery meal programme ‘Meals on Wheels’ and donating clothes to Oxfam.
Magna’s Well-Being Co-Ordinator, Emily Mauger, has been working on the initiative. Emily said: “We have been doing random acts of kindness throughout the months since August and this will continue to be an ongoing project. Here at Magna we like to give back to the community and believe in helping one-another.”
Random Acts of Kindness Day falls on the 17th February and is recognised as a day to celebrate and encourage random acts of kindness and a whole ‘pay it forward’ mentality. The idea is to make the world a better place by spreading a little light around and to make kindness a part of our everyday lives.
Our homes are celebrating this important day all year round with various acts of kindness. Staff feel that by creating an environment within their homes where people feel connected, have a sense of purpose and are appreciated and recognised for their contributions, this makes for a stronger, more compassionate care home.
