All the latest news and informative articles from Birchwood
- The difference between care homes and retirement villages
The difference between a care home and a retirement village As many adults enter the later stages of their life, they often need either extra care, help and support and want to be around those in a similar situation or position to them from an age and health perspective. Our country’s ageing population is increasingContinue reading “The difference between care homes and retirement villages” - Win a harvest vegetable hamper
Would you like to be a winner? We’re giving away a Harvest Vegetable Hamper with the October issue of Birchwood Care. We get all our fresh fruit and vegetables from Pembury Greengrocers in Pembury, so we have partnered with our local supplier to offer you this great prize. Harvest festivals are traditionally held to celebrateContinue reading “Win a harvest vegetable hamper” - Forget a siesta as residents fiesta Mexican style
Residents at Birchwood House joined in the fun Last week we held a Mexican-themed party, complete with sombreros, ponchos and a live mariachi band for the residents and staff. Residents and staff went ‘loco’ in true Mexican style and joined in with the fun with themed party games, food, and drinks on offer to all. The beautiful gardens ofContinue reading “Forget a siesta as residents fiesta Mexican style” - National Eye Health Week in focus
Good eye health and the need for regular eye tests is vital, especially as you age. National Eye Health Week takes place from 20 to 26 September to remind and reinforce the need to stay eye healthy. At Birchwood House we have a local, family-run business called Eye Concern that visits our care home inContinue reading “National Eye Health Week in focus” - Power of Attorney
Better care for the elderly evident as rising number of people register for power of attorney Power of attorney (LPA) is a legal document that can be used to give another person the authority to make health care decisions, financial transactions, or sign legal documents that you may not be able to do for yourself for some reason, givingContinue reading “Power of Attorney” - Looking after historic Birchwood House is Ian’s role
After 30 years in the building industry, Ian can turn his hand to many types of work. Which is a good job as he is in charge of our maintenance at Birchwood House. Ian gets called upon to sort out plumbing, electrics and also does decorating and many other jobs that are needed to keepContinue reading “Looking after historic Birchwood House is Ian’s role” - Respite care for the elderly and how it supports the carer
A quick reference guide to respite care Respite care is a short-term stay, often around one to two weeks, in a care home, such as Birchwood House, and is usually arranged to give a carer a holiday from their care-related duties. These breaks can be planned or, in cases of emergency, unplanned or at short notice.Continue reading “Respite care for the elderly and how it supports the carer” - Birchwood House residents travel back to medieval times
Our residents and staff travelled back in time to enjoy a medieval themed summer party held within our 9 acres of picturesque, landscaped gardens on 30th June 2021. Staff pulled out all the stops to ensure our residents felt like they had stepped back in time for a unique and authentic experience. All team membersContinue reading “Birchwood House residents travel back to medieval times” - Meet Activities Co-ordinator Zoe
Keeping the residents at Birchwood House mentally and physically active is the job of Activities Co-ordinator Zoe. Zoe has been at Birchwood for four years as night care staff but recently changed roles to take up the activity post, working alongside co-ordinator Amanda. And Zoe is bubbling with ideas to keep the residents entertained andContinue reading “Meet Activities Co-ordinator Zoe” - Choosing the right care home for a loved one
Finding the right care home for a loved one can be a stressful and challenging experience, and often one that people only do once or twice in their lifetime. The location of a care home is therefore critical for a number of reasons. Here we take you through some useful points to consider when choosingContinue reading “Choosing the right care home for a loved one” - Birchwood to host Summer Open Day in June
We are delighted to announce that Birchwood Care will be hosting an Open Day on Saturday 26th June from 2 to 4pm. The Open Day will take place in our beautiful nine-acre gardens at Birchwood House in Speldhurst, on the outskirts of Tunbridge Wells. Birchwood Care is made up of our family-run residential house and ourContinue reading “Birchwood to host Summer Open Day in June” - Cream Tea Giveaway – who will you invite for tea?
We’re giving away a Cream Tea for Two with the May issue of Birchwood Care and on our Facebook page. Our Chef at Birchwood House is Anne and she comes up with tasty and nutritionally balanced meals for the residents each day. As well as meals breakfast, lunch and dinner, Anne really enjoys baking cakesContinue reading “Cream Tea Giveaway – who will you invite for tea?” - Holding hands with loved ones for visitors to Birchwood House
From May 3rd visitors to Birchwood House will be able to hold hands and enjoy face-to-face conversations with their loved ones as part of the next step of lockdown easing. To date visitors have been using a Covid-safe pod in Birchwood House to see and chat to their relatives, with no contact allowed. Now twoContinue reading “Holding hands with loved ones for visitors to Birchwood House” - Birchwood holds a fun-filled Mad Hatter’s tea party.
Bringing a sense of fun and magic for residents this Easter. The staff at Birchwood House held a quirky ‘Alice in Wonderland’ themed Mad Hatter’s Tea Party for the residents of our Speldhurst care home, to bring a sense of fun and magic to all this Easter. Following on from the success of the Winter Wonderland-themedContinue reading “Birchwood holds a fun-filled Mad Hatter’s tea party.” - Birchwood ‘a natural choice’ for Kathleen’s mum
Choosing a home for a loved one is a considered decision, but one that Kathleen Holmwood made with ease. Her mum, Eileen, had been using Birchwood Care Services, so when she needed further care Birchwood House was a natural choice. “Birchwood House is just so pleasant – both the staff and the surroundings,” said Kathleen.Continue reading “Birchwood ‘a natural choice’ for Kathleen’s mum” - The benefits of using the internet and modern technology
Since the arrival of Covid-19 and having to live through lockdown in the last 12 months, the reliance on the internet and technology has massively increased and become the norm. Staying in touch with friends and family using communication platforms like Zoom and Facetime has seen huge adoption, fast-tracking their way into our everyday lives.Continue reading “The benefits of using the internet and modern technology” - What care options are available for those in later life?
Families going through the emotional stress of placing a spouse or relative into care, often tell us they find the terminology confusing so this blog aims to help explain the different types of care available. Understandably, most elderly people want to live independently in their own home for as long as they can. But manyContinue reading “What care options are available for those in later life?” - Virtual tours help relatives find the right care
We’re well aware of the impact that Covid-19 has had on searching for a care home for a loved one. In normal times you would have been most likely to have made initial enquiries and then visited the care home to meet the staff and look around. Sadly, for the safety of our residents, staffContinue reading “Virtual tours help relatives find the right care” - The skills and attributes you need to be a good carer
The skills and attributes needed to be a good carer. Whether you’re looking for a good care provider or thinking of starting a career in care, it’s important to remember caring is all about people. As everyday humans, a carer needs to have a number of skills and attributes over and above those that canContinue reading “The skills and attributes you need to be a good carer” - White Christmas had by all at Birchwood
Pulling out the stops for a fun and festive December. We went all out to make sure it was a white and jolly Christmas for the residents at our home in Speldhurst, Kent. With a snow machine adding a dusting of white to the beautiful House, staff held a festive event to bring joy toContinue reading “White Christmas had by all at Birchwood” - Maintaining positivity for residents and homecare clients
Well-being first for staff, residents & clients. We’re delighted to kick off a new initiative to show the smiling faces of our staff behind their masks to help our residents and clients recognise their support and maintain positivity. Aptly named Birchwood Smiles, every team member will be wearing a lanyard around their neck, with aContinue reading “Maintaining positivity for residents and homecare clients” - Brightening up the afternoon for one lucky winner
Afternoon tea winner announced, courtesy of Birchwood chef Anne Jones We wanted to do something to brighten up someone’s day so as people can’t get out much, we ran a prize draw at the end of November offering afternoon tea to two people in our local community. Our fabulous chef Anne Jones is creating aContinue reading “Brightening up the afternoon for one lucky winner” - An unprecedented year in the life of a care home
Reflections on an unprecedented year in the life of a care home Owner of Birchwood House and Care Services, Niral Patel, provides his personal reflections on the last 9 months of 2020 and how he continues to be optimistic in the run up to Christmas. As the daylight hours get shorter and the outside temperaturesContinue reading “An unprecedented year in the life of a care home” - Harvest Hoedown extravaganza
Birchwood House hosts Harvest Hoedown extravaganza Birchwood House enjoyed a socially-distanced harvest festival in its grounds on Wednesday 9th September, for all staff and residents. Sealed food was donated to benefit the local community. Birchwood House has been locked down since before the start of the pandemic to keep residents safe. The Hoedown was arrangedContinue reading “Harvest Hoedown extravaganza” - Take care of your mental health during lockdown
Take care of your mental health during lockdown The lockdown that has been imposed by the Covid-19 outbreak has made us think about how important it is to take care of your mental health whilst either in isolation, or just unable to socialise and interact with others in person for a long period of time.Continue reading “Take care of your mental health during lockdown” - An Introduction to Helen Geer – Manager of Birchwood House
An Introduction to Helen Geer – Manager of Birchwood House I have worked in care for 20 years and am proud to say I’ve been at Birchwood House for 10 of these years. I came to work at Birchwood through the manager who I already knew. We had worked together at a previous home. WhenContinue reading “An Introduction to Helen Geer – Manager of Birchwood House” - Looking after the elderly in summer
Looking after the elderly in summer Although summer is only just upon us and we are probably yet to hit the hottest day of the year, the recent spell of warm and sunny weather coupled with spending more time than normal at this time of year indoors during the Coronavirus lockdown has got us thinkingContinue reading “Looking after the elderly in summer” - Looking after our care home residents during Coronavirus
Looking after our care home residents during Coronavirus The current Covid-19 Pandemic has caused an enormous disruption to every day life, and has had significant ramifications for care homes in particular. Suddenly the way we look after our residents has changed dramatically and here at Birchwood House we have done everything we can to dealContinue reading “Looking after our care home residents during Coronavirus” - An Introduction to Claire – Deputy Manager of Birchwood HouseAn Introduction to Claire – Deputy Manager of Birchwood House I’ve worked in the care industry for 21 years. I was recommended by a friend who also came for a job at Birchwood having worked together at another care home. I’ve now been here for 5 years and never looked back. My first impression ofContinue reading “An Introduction to Claire – Deputy Manager of Birchwood House”
- Is A Care Home Or Assisted Living More Appropriate?
Is A Care Home Or Assisted Living More Appropriate? There are a number of signs to look out for in an elderly friend or relative that may signal to it being an appropriate time for additional care. There are many different options depending on each individual’s circumstance – including homecare (which our friends at Birchwood CareContinue reading “Is A Care Home Or Assisted Living More Appropriate?” - Choosing The Location Of Your Care Home
Choosing The Location Of Your Care Home Finding a care home for a loved one can be an extremely stressful and challenging experience, and often one that people only do infrequently so it’s certainly not something they do every day! Location of a care home is critical. Here we take you through the key locationContinue reading “Choosing The Location Of Your Care Home” - Life as a Birchwood House Carer
Life as a Birchwood House Carer As the UK population continues to age, care workers and care homes will continue to be in huge demand and we face significant challenges ensuring we are able to support a changing and ageing population to live healthy and fulfilling lives. Working at a care home involves a wideContinue reading “Life as a Birchwood House Carer” - How Are We Dealing With Coronavirus
How Are We Dealing With Coronavirus The recent Covid-19 outbreak has caused many worldwide problems. Here at Birchwood House, the safety of our residents and staff is paramount. With the UK now moving into the delay phase of controlling the outbreak, we have taken the decision to, as a preventative measure, ask family members, visitorsContinue reading “How Are We Dealing With Coronavirus” - Birchwood House Sponsors Art of the Weald!
Birchwood House Sponsors Art of the Weald! Birchwood House is delighted to be sponsoring Hospice in the Weald’s ‘Art of the Weald’ exhibition along with our colleagues from Birchwood Care Services. Hospice in the Weald is an incredible local charity who provide care completely free of charge to patients, their families and carers in West KentContinue reading “Birchwood House Sponsors Art of the Weald!” - Valentine’s Day At Birchwood House
Valentine’s Day At Birchwood House Here at Birchwood House, we love any excuse for a celebration and Valentine’s Day is no exception. Not only do we spend time putting up decorations and making the tables look special, Chef Pete also prepares a special meal and this year we’ll be enjoying a delicious feast of beef bourguignon withContinue reading “Valentine’s Day At Birchwood House” - Writing A Will
Writing A Will A will is the only sure-fire – and legal – way to ensure your estate (money, property, possessions and investments) goes to the people and causes you care about. Writing or updating a will is one of those things we often push to the bottom of the To Do list, but itContinue reading “Writing A Will” - Blue Monday
Blue Monday The third Monday of January has been dubbed Blue Monday due to a combination of post-Christmas blues, cold dark nights and the thud of unpaid Christmas credit card bills on the doormat. A mathematical formula was even used to precisely calculate the most depressing day of the year. Supposedly the date was calculated using manyContinue reading “Blue Monday” - You’re Only As Old As You Feel
You’re Only As Old As You Feel It’s a sad fact of life that elderly people are often stereotyped as being unattractive, boring, lonely and ‘past it’. But that negative and misguided perception was challenged recently when an 85-year old pensioner, living in a care home in Surrey, was ‘spotted’ by a top fashion photographer – andContinue reading “You’re Only As Old As You Feel” - What Is A Care Plan
What Is A Care Plan? Once you’ve chosen a care home (hopefully Birchwood House!) for your loved one (or yourself), the next step is to create a personalised care plan. But what is it – and why is it needed? A care plan is essentially a written statement of the individual’s needs, preferences and wishes, wrapped upContinue reading “What Is A Care Plan” - Art & CraftArt & Craft At Birchwood House, we love to encourage our residents to participate in a variety of art and craft sessions – especially at this time of year and there are so many reasons why creative activities can have a positive effect on the mind, soul – and even the body! Many elderly peopleContinue reading “Art & Craft”
