Ahoy, me hearties! Apple House care home have spotted pirates off the Dorset coastline! Who needs the Caribbean for pirates when Poole harbour offers its own (more friendly and less rum-scented) version? D took to the decks when the Brownsea Island ferry was overrun with this fella in the photo! [No treasure or cutlasses were involved in the making of this day out]. Also in June… TIGERS!…RUN! Okay, so they were shy tigers. Or lions. Or perhaps not even cats at all, but there was a fantastic day out in the making at marvellous Longleat Safari Park where the animals …
Judgement day for Apple House care homes! What a fabulous day it was yesterday at the ICC in Birmingham where finalists of The National Learning Disability and Autism Awards came together from around the country for judging day! We were incredibly proud to have been nominated and to be finalists for England in FIVE categories (see previous blog post). It was an early start from sunny Dorset. The mini bus was packed with a picnic and excited team members, and T from Summerwood and D from Apple House (D is a finalist). Fact: Birmingham has its own microclimate resembling …
Some exciting news! We are so pleased to announce that we are finalists in five categories of the The National Learning Disabilities and Autism Awards 2018 for England. We are so honoured to be finalists in so many categories. The National Learning Disabilities & Autism Awards celebrate excellence in the support for people with learning disabilities and aim to pay tribute to those individuals or organisations who excel in providing quality care. Our first finalist is our Summerwood care home in the ‘Positive Behaviour Support’ category which states; ‘The overriding goal of positive behaviour support is to enhance quality of life for …
General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) You may well have been hearing a lot in the media around General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and more than likely you would have been receiving emails from various companies you may have signed up to once upon a time asking if they can still contact you in the future. This is all in readiness for the new GDPR, which comes into force on May 25th 2018. GDPR will replace the Data Protection Act of 1998 (DPA), which was a way to implement the EU Data Protection Directive of 1995. As with the DPA, the …
We are delighted to share our news with you! Over the past few months Redcroft care home in Southbourne has been a hive of activity involving diggers and muddy boots plus ample supply of cookies for those involved. What have we been doing? Those who have visited us at Redcroft recently will already know that we are building two fabulous garden rooms where the old garage used to stand. Both bedrooms will benefit from en-suite wet rooms and full disability access. Plus a conservatory! Yes, we wanted to take advantage of the beautiful grounds by adding a relaxing conservatory within …
It’s very easy to announce that a care home is family friendly, but what does that mean? Historically, care homes and nursing homes followed the hospital model of rigid visiting times. This in turn meant that families may not have been considered to be intrinsic in the planning of care pathways or, in fact, in the individual’s life inside a care environment. Today, things are changing for the better but there is always more work to be done. Apple House care homes embrace an ethos of inclusion. Families and loved ones have a hugely crucial role to play and, as …
“Access to gardens can enhance focus and attention, as well as reducing anxiety and boosting self-confidence. Additionally, the garden can be considered a dynamic environment offering diverse opportunities for learning.” –[‘Green Spaces – Outdoor Environments for Adults with Autism’ by Katie Gaudion and Chris McGinley.] At Apple House care homes we know that our outdoor spaces are as vital as indoor space for those who reside at our services. For many years we have actively encouraged residents to take ownership of their garden space, to use it in a way meaningful to them. At Apple House care home, residents enjoy …
We threw our team’s Christmas party last week! It was either late, or early, depending how you view it. In any case, it was a LOT of fun! We know our team juggle work/life pressures in the lead up to the festive season. We know winter is long, evenings dark, and so it was perfectly timed to bring some well-deserved cheer and relaxation. Team members from all homes joined together at a cosy Italian restaurant for delicious helpings of Mama’s home-cooked food as well as the obligatory grape juice to accompany it. Staff were each entered into a free raffle. …
Apple House recognises the need to safely maintain services during adverse weather conditions, whilst properly discharging its duty of care to our staff team. Measures are already in place to ensure a safe and warm environment is maintained for all who live and work within our care homes. In addition, as part of our adverse weather emergency planning, we have also ensured our staff team are prepared and measures in place should travel to and from our services be unsafe. — Jane Montrose, Managing Director. …
Workshop for members of Ashley Baptist Church Last weekend we were pleased to be invited to hold a workshop at Ashley Baptist Church by the minister and members of the congregation. The team who work and live at our Summerwood care home enjoy a close relationship with the church and attend services and clubs there. The focus of the workshop was to deliver information on Understanding Behaviours That Can Challenge. The members and volunteers at the church wanted to gain additional understanding and to be better prepared for the activities and services they deliver. It was great to be able …
