Residents and their loved ones recently enjoyed a fantastic weekend away at Felmoor Park, a luxury log cabin holiday park in Northumberland.
Four residents and three lots of families joined carers from Cramlington House for a weekend of relaxation in the company of their nearest and dearest, with care support on hand 24/7 if needed.
Kim Stubbs, our Wellbeing Champion at Cramlington House, said: “It was lovely to see families get together and enjoy some quality time as if they’ve never lived apart.
“It can be difficult when a loved one enters a home, both for the resident and their family, so mini breaks like this are absolutely fantastic in maintaining that strong close family bond, with residents and families feeling reassured that carers are on hand if they need them.
“Creating new memories is so important to quality of life whatever your age or wherever you live. Life doesn’t stop when you move into a care home as our residents enjoy new experiences often, including trips away like this one with their families.
“We all laughed at one resident’s daughter who packed for every occasion and arrived with her car filled to the brim with items including a parasol and a fresh basil plant! It’s moments like this that give me huge job satisfaction in my carer role.”
Residents and their families enjoyed long leisurely lunches and strolls as and when they wanted to. The cabins boasted great facilities which were enjoyed too as well as evening entertainment of live singing and dancing.
Julie Harris, whose mother Joyce Harris lives at Cramlington House said; “From the first moment the Felmoor Park weekend was mentioned, I knew it was an opportunity I did not want to miss. In the lead up to the visit, it was something for me to talk about with my mum and she was excited and looking forward to it.
“It gave me the opportunity to spend time in a different setting with my mum, away from the demands of everyday life and where I could focus fully on her needs. We enjoyed just spending time together in relaxing surroundings. The lodge we stayed in was lovely and very well equipped.
“The visit was exceptionally organised and the staff, Kim, Angela and Amy were excellent. They were very enthusiastic, helpful and extremely kind and caring towards both the residents and their families, giving them all the support they needed to have a perfect weekend.”
Maxine Young, who went with her husband Tommy and dog Oscar said: “We had a wonderful time – the lodge and surroundings were beautiful. It was lovely being able to spend quality time together and it felt like Tom was back at home.”
Gill Garby, the daughter of Beryl Weddle, added: “Huge thanks to Kim in particular, who really is an absolute diamond, for giving me the opportunity to spend time with my mam somewhere different. I used to go away with mam and dad so it was lovely to get the chance to do so again but this time with the reassurance that the care team were on hand if I needed help.
“I would never have attempted a trip on my own with mam these days. Kim and her colleagues were brilliant just letting us potter on but making sure everything was ok with everyone and reassuring us that they were around if needed.”