Parkfield House Nursing Home has been named as a runner-up at this year’s Care Home Awards in the Best for Non-Clinical Facilities category. Because of the pandemic the usual sumptuous awards lunch was changed to a live streamed ceremony.

It was a hotly contested category. Activities assistant Aarti Lal and the team had previously submitted a detailed submission outlining the activities, meaningful moments and wellbeing sessions that took place at the home from March 2019 to January 2020. It also included write-ups, pictures and comments from both residents and relatives.

Staff at Parkfield set great store by creating meaningful and memorable wellbeing moments for our residents each week. Prior to the pandemic these could be anything from art and craft sessions organised by Equal Arts, demonstrations from the Floral Society, music and singing, animation, digital arts or books and audio books provided by the home service library. Our Parkfield Peckers, therapeutic hens provided under the Henpower Scheme, are much loved by residents and provide plenty of artistic inspiration –  making food for the hens is a popular activity. We are also proud of our links with the community, having hosted regular visits from local schools and nurseries.

Home manager Shawndell Barker says: “At Parkfield, we aim to improve the health and wellbeing of older people, reducing loneliness and depression through creative, meaningful and person-centred activities and community engagement. We want our residents to feel proud of who they are, where they live and what they can achieve. We help them to draw on their existing skills as well as explore new ones. After all, it is never too late to learn!”

The Care Home Awards are an annual benchmark of excellence and innovation for care home management, operations and delivery, celebrating the business of owning and running care homes in the UK.