Please note: This blog post was posted in April 2020. Heaton House is no longer closed for visitors and is following current Government advice. Please visit the homepage to see the current visitor policy and follow Heaton House’s registered owner, Sally Neil-Smith on Twitter to keep up to date with the latest Heaton House news.
Here at Heaton House, our activity planner is usually full of interesting events and exciting visitors coming into our home. Due to the current circumstances, our home is closed for visitors and our trips out have been postponed for a while. This also means we’ve had to come up with different ways to stay in touch with the people we love and the people who usually visit.
Keeping Ourselves Busy
As we’re a local leader in intergenerational care, Heaton House usually has weekly visits from local children’s nurseries. The two main ones being Little Elms and Woodstock Nursery, both are in Worthing and local for the different generations to meet. Although the children have not been able to visit due to current circumstances, they have been sending us photos for their ‘nannies and Nigel’ which we all love to receive.
With the help of modern day technology, many of our residents have been able to use Skype to keep in touch with their friends and family each week. Using video calling means that both parties can still see each other and have a chat and a cuppa as if they were physically together.
We have also been encouraging families to send us cards, letters and photos through the post so everyone can still keep in touch. Many grandchildren have been sending in their beautiful drawings and photos of themselves which have been put up on display in their grandparent’s bedroom which brings a smile to their faces every time they wake up. Some grandchildren have been very busy and sent us their rainbow pictures to put on display in our front porch – a trend many have been taking part in to spread positivity and for children to take part in a rainbow hunt as they take a walk with members of their household.
The sun has been making an appearance over the last couple of weeks which has allowed us to enjoy the summer house in our garden. As you can see from the photo below, even if the temperature is a little cold, we still enjoy sitting outside – we just need a blanket!
Celebrations
In March, it was Freda’s 97th birthday and – of course – we had to make her feel like the princess she is by giving her a tiara to wear. As you can see from the photo, she received lots of lovely cards and a bunch of flowers. Some of the residents even helped create her colourful banner that we placed on her chair to make sure everyone knew she was the birthday girl!
Freda chose the armchair nearest to our picture window so that she could enjoy the warm Spring sunshine and watch the birds fly in and out of our garden.
Celebrations aside, we’ll continue to keep busy from within our home and we continue to encourage families and friends to send in their cards, letters and pictures to us. Even if you don’t know our lovely residents and staff, you are also welcome to send something! Our address is:
Heaton House
22 Reigate Rd
Worthing
BN11 5NF
We look forward to seeing the postman e