The charity Friends of the Elderly invited the local community to its care home in Staines Upon Thames on Monday 12 June to mark the run-up to Care Home Open Day.

Staff, volunteers and residents at Moor House care home, run by Friends of the Elderly, welcomed guests to join them for a picnic-style tea with lemonade and sandwiches. There were games in the gardens at Moor House for participants of all ages, and some furry friends enjoyed a Teddy Bears picnic on the front lawn.

Equally importantly, there were opportunities to be shown around Moor House, plus stalls providing information about working or volunteering at the care home.

This special event was part of Friends of the Elderly’s ongoing commitment to fostering meaningful activities, encouraging friendships across the generations and placing its care homes at the heart of their local communities. It also helps mark the charity’s ongoing support for Care Home Open Day, an annual initiative which sees thousands of care homes across the country open their doors to the public to showcase the excellent services being provided by dedicated teams of staff. This year, Care Home Open Day will be on 16 June.

Gabrielle Mansfield became involved with Moor House four years ago, she began visiting older friends who moved there after supporting her while she cared for her late mother, who had Alzheimer’s disease.

After her friends sadly passed away, Gabrielle has continued to visit on a weekly basis, regularly accompanied by her grandson Luke, now four, and granddaughter Rosabella, aged 15 months.

Echoing the theme of Care Home Open Day 2017, which is friendship, Gabrielle says: “My grandchildren and I love being with the older people who live at Moor House; we have so many friends there and we really look forward to our visits. I think it’s a big mistake to leave older people isolated within their communities, they have so much to share in terms of life experience, stories and smiles, and I’m delighted that my grandchildren are joining me in experiencing interacting with older members as a normal, central part of everyday life.”

Moor House manager Lyn Spivack said “We’re always delighted when people come to find out about what we do here at Moor House.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about working at Moor House or other care homes run by Friends of the Elderly can visit: www.fote.org.uk/work-for-us/

Article supplied by Deborah Hyde