National award highlights commitment to outstanding service in our care homes

Becky was awarded the Highly Commended accolade in the Excellence in Service category of NAPA’s annual awards announced last week.

This award recognises “an individual or service that has demonstrated exceptional dedication and commitment to activity provision across a wide range of projects, initiatives, and campaigns. This award celebrates those who not only deliver an outstanding service but also prioritise wellbeing as a core focus, ensuring that activities attend to the whole person — emotionally, physically, mentally, and socially.”

Becky joined Brendoncare 10 years ago this July, starting as an activity coordinator. Appointed Volunteer and Activity Manager in 2018, Becky became Wellbeing Manager in 2022.

Becky says: “I feel very proud to have been honoured by NAPA. Its work is so important in helping us develop and deliver wellbeing programmes in our care homes. But I would not get such amazing opportunities like this without the team who work so hard with our residents, colleagues, and volunteers. I am incredibly lucky to work with this inspirational, fabulous team.”

Brendoncare’s wellbeing teams at our seven care homes are dedicated to supporting our residents through a wide range of activities and wellbeing provisions. All of them which are designed to enhance their quality of life in our care.

Activities can include visits from entertainers to arts and crafts, quizzes and games. Personal focus sessions are tailored to meet the needs and interests of each resident.

Partnership:

The wellbeing teams also work in partnership with local community groups and other organisations like Dementia Friends to further enhance the variety of activities on offer.

They constantly evaluate the activities they provide. They observe the level of voluntary participation from residents and seek their feedback on what they most enjoy doing.

Colleagues from other departments are encouraged to participate, sharing their hobbies and interests.

Our care and nursing teams also support wellbeing through attending activities or organising smaller group activities within the care home households.

Driving:

Some colleagues go one step further. At Brendoncare Knightwood, Kris, who is in charge of maintenance, has completed his MiDAS (minibus driving) training so that he can take residents on outings to local attractions.

One of the care team at Brendoncare Otterbourne Hill also drives the minibus so that the residents have regular trips out of the care home.

Cooking is also a very popular activity, and our chefs are always encouraging residents to get involved with baking. Jacqui, Brendoncare Meadway’s Chef Manager, supported residents over Christmas to make a stollen tray bake, Christmas cake and mince pies.

Other colleagues from across the care home departments share books and newspapers, their love of poetry and favourite television programmes.

Thanks to Becky and colleagues in all our care homes, we believe Brendoncare embraces NAPA’s ethos:

“Fundamental values of wellbeing, activity and engagement are seamlessly integrated into care provision.”