Creativity and Connection at Queen Elizabeth Park

Discover how our Lifestyle Team has been busy adapting our packed schedule of meaningful activities and events with heartwarming results.

While the past few months have brought unprecedented restrictions for all of us, life at Queen Elizabeth Park has by no means slowed down. Our much-loved residents have been as active as ever while we’ve been coming up with creative new home-based activities and alternative ways to stay in touch with loved ones.

We’ve all got involved in embracing new technology in order for our residents to connect with friends and family via virtual meet ups, while in-person visits had temporarily been put on hold. By now, the world has become very familiar with the various apps, from Skype to Facetime, which have allowed multiple family members to dial in and video chat together with our residents.

In fact, we’ve found that friends and relatives have been able to stay in touch more than ever before thanks to this new technology. What a treat it has been to see our residents faces lighting up at the sight of their children and grandchildren from around the country. A truly touching experience.

Video-conferencing has also kept us connected to our trusted volunteers Christine and Doreen, who have joined our coffee mornings via Zoom to entertain our residents with quizzes, games and jokes. Not forgetting our favourite entertainers and musicians, such as opera singer Harry Kersley, who streamed a very special live performance just for us!

We weren’t going to let lockdown stop our fortnightly choir practice with the talented pianist Chris Snelling either, and we were delighted that moving rehearsals ‘online’ proved a big success. It was also fantastic to be joined on-screen by the lovely Barbara Robinson to oversee our ‘New Age Kurling’ sessions.

We have also been getting as crafty and creative as ever, from making beaded jewellery to baking and even trying out online painting tutorials. All of which has provided endless creative inspiration and brought everyone together in these challenging times.

In fact, it has only helped to grow the community spirit within our home and I’m sure we will be keeping some of our new found entertainment going for months to come.

And we were all overjoyed when our very own central office sent over treats for our carers and resident to enjoy; one day it was an ice cream van, the next it was a chocolate fountain. We were even sent a slushy maker, to keep us cool as the temperature outside rose. Such simple gestures to let us know we are, as ever, in their hearts and minds – they were greatly appreciated and went down a treat.