Life Story

Life Story

The most important skill that all our staff have is the ability to communicate. All of our staff are encouraged to pay careful attention to what our residents are communicating either verbally or non-verbally throughout their time with us. The residents lead the way, they tell us what they want us to know. Listening and understanding a resident with Dementia is a key part of treating that individual with the dignity they deserve.

So you may see our residents pushing the tea trolleys, laying the tables, hanging out the clothes, painting the walls, sweeping up leaves, washing up or making a batch of scones. This may not be the expected activities of a Care Home i.e. a daily sing song (although these do also happen), however this is an activity that they have chosen and made their own. You will find that they are often absorbed in deep concentration or animated with pleasure; that they can lose themselves in it; that they can express themselves through it, and initiate engagement of their own accord. This is what an activity truly means at Orchard House.