Music is a great way to engage with those living with Dementia and with the 60's a favourite era for many living in Langham Court, we had a fun day of dressing up and reminiscing over tracks from the Summer of 69!
For more news on life across the Estate read our monthly Newsletter
Whilst its been a bit of a wet July, we've still managed to get out and about and always enjoy an afternoon of music at Huntington House
For more news on life across the Estate read our monthly Newsletter
We are excited to be partnering with a new local childcare provider called Willow & Rose Nursery based in Grayshott.
Dedicated to caring for children up to 4 years old, Amanda and the team believe in supporting children to develop curiosity through the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.
At the centre of their approach is creating opportunities to explore, question and discover nature as part of exploration educational learning. Our collaboration gives Willow and Rose access to our beautiful estate, as their very own vibrant learning space filled with the best nature has to offer, whilst in a safe environment to explore and create wonder.
The partnership will include joint activities and events both in our homes and around the grounds, including an enchanted forest adventure, birdwatching, den building, storytelling session, nature craft sessions using treasures found around the forest floor and early learning about flora and fauna.
Find out more details here
Prior to the pandemic we shared how being part of our wider community we collaborated with a number of schools to bridge the generation gap.
Intergenerational interaction between the residents and children is a delight to see and most importantly the experience is beneficial for old and young, proving age is just a number!
Our collaboration with Willow and Rose, will in time offer residents on the estate a special opportunity to interact with the children during shared events and organically as they share our wonderful Estate enriching lives across the generations.
“The collaboration with Willow and Rose is a truly special partnership, as we share common values when it comes to caring for others. Our shared aim is to enabling individuals whatever their age to express themselves, be “free to be me” and find endless possibilities to experience meaningful moments each day.” Charlie Hoare MD.
For more information about Willow and Rose please visit their website: https://www.willowandrosenursery.co.uk/
Here at The Huntingdon and Langham Estate, the emotional wellbeing of our residents is paramount. This ethos runs through our entire Estate and everyone who works within it, but is perhaps best exemplified in our activity organisers, who we call our Homemakers.
Our Homemakers are pivotal in making our residents feel like part of our family. They plan activities, outings and events, including creative pastimes, quizzes, games, seated exercises, musical performances and trips out in our minibus.
Our activities are not scheduled or set in stone. Instead, our Homemakers are on hand each day to use their experience, knowledge of each resident and their intuition to provide 1:1 or group activities tailored to the personalities and desires of the residents who are doing it.
All residents can enjoy whichever activity, conversation or session is being created at any particular time, come and go as they wish, suggest alternatives and request (and get) the activities they prefer to get involved in whenever they wish.
This is obviously unlike traditional settings where activities are at set times, may be inappropriate for some people, and can make other who aren’t involved feel left out and unstimulated.
Homemaker Claire explains, “When you’ve seen somebody who’s been briefly isolated and, you know, feeling separate and suddenly something different is going on and they’re part of a group, with somebody connecting with them, this is so essential for personal well-being.”
There is no such thing as a day in the life of our Homemakers – what there is, however, is a lot of heart, love and joy and a desire to know our residents, understand what makes them tick and what makes them happy, read the room and see what’s needed.
The role of a homemaker on the estate is about so much more than just providing activities, keeping residents occupied or paying lip service to fun. It’s about creating an environment that nurtures emotional well-being, spreads joy, and helps residents feel safe, comfortable, and connected.
And what happens when the activity chosen just isn’t going down well? That’s when each Homemaker can use their own go-tos to engage, calm or activate the room as needed.
For Homemaker Claire, that’s music. “My go-to is music because even if somebody is agitated, you sing a song you know they like, they cannot help but join in. And it’s one of those things that can be calming, but it can also be uplifting. It’s quite adaptable.”
Every Homemaker has the ability and encouragement to play to their strengths or passions – whatever they may be. We want all our Homemakers to bring their whole selves to work.
We know that everybody has something to offer. It’s about bringing your whole self and your heart, doing what comes naturally and not being afraid to do that and create joy, fun and happiness in a spontaneous way.
Over to Claire again, “There are a lot of people (in the Estate) who like the outdoors, like nature, and we’re really lucky to have these grounds. So sometimes connecting with nature and the green and the being outside and sometimes we’ll go and sit in the sunshine, and that brings a real sense of joy to people. And it’s those little moments, those connections, those conversations, those little bits of joy that make up the fabric of someone’s life.”
To watch the full interview with our MD Charlie and homemaker Claire, please click here.
Our ethos of creating meaningful moments every day, doesn’t end with those living on the Estate, we also understand the impact our care can have on the emotional wellbeing of friends and family of a loved one living at Langham Court, giving comfort through providing the best standard of personalised care we can.
“The staff feel like family, no uniforms or name badges, they are very kind and patient. There is lots of laughter and fun evidently going on. Everywhere is kept beautifully clean by very caring housekeeping staff, who stop and chat with residents and visitors alike, the philosophy seems to be kindness and interaction first, then doing whatever task is at hand next. The gardens are beautiful, with views towards trees and fields of sheep and horses. The gardens have secure fences so the residents can walk in them safely. There are lots of engaging activities for residents, plus a day centre twice a week that residents can join in with. The food is great, prepared freshly and daily on the premises. Langham is of the best standard a care home could be and recommend it 100%.” – Ela S, resident’s relative.
As a team we are like an extended family and are always open to welcoming new people into our circle, so if you’d like to learn more about being a Homemaker and creating joy for our residents, please visit our website or complete our register your interest .
At the Huntington & Langham Estate, we provide luxury care across our two specialist care homes. Family-owned and run, we offer dignified, compassionate and personalised care to our residents, giving them the nurturing support they need to continue living full, independent and meaningful lives.
To arrange a visit to the Estate and tour our homes and grounds, please call 01428 604 600 or complete this form.
You’d be surprised how many people come to Huntington House for a short burst of respite care and request to return full-time afterwards.
That’s because though many of our residents experience the inevitable ailments which come with age, the buzz and activity in our home mean these ailments are a tiny part of an otherwise full and rich life.
However, back in their own home, former residents can feel unstimulated, bored and palpably alone, and these ailments loom large throughout an otherwise empty day.
No wonder they’re so happy to come back.
Take a walk through our house or grounds on any given day, and you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in a typical family home. Listen as you explore, and you’ll hear the friendly (and sometimes cutthroat) competition of group games and the excited chatter of another outing being planned.
Feast your eyes on the beautiful resident-made artwork adorning our walls. Feast your taste buds on our delicious food, served family-style and as tasty to eat as it is nourishing.
This colourful mosaic of care is possible as Huntington House is family owned and run. The family feel of our house supports us as we do all we can to gently encourage each resident to live their life as an individual, with the independence, personal freedom and expression they enjoyed while living at home.
Residents build relationships with other residents and our staff, which does wonders for their mental health. We help residents to continue with hobbies they used to love and even to learn new ones, thanks to team members and other residents.
Our residents have a quality of life that just can’t be replicated in a home care or other care environment.
Yes, we have a beautiful house and splendid grounds, a large, well-trained and loving team and years of caring experience, but what really makes us stand out is our steadfast value of meaningful care – the key tenet of the Dragonfly Approach, which we faithfully follow.
In traditional care, the day is run along task lines, and care can be perfunctory. Boxes are ticked off throughout the day – “make the bed”, “give them breakfast”, and “hand out medicine”. There’s barely time to get to know residents and no time to think about them as people with hopes, dreams and desires.
However, at Huntington House, we understand that our relationships with people, places and things all influence who we are and how we feel.
Our life is made meaningful by relationships which meet our need for love, attachment, belonging and comfort. These relationships make us feel secure, free and able – helping us to feel at home in ourselves, our bodies and our lives. This is as true at age ten as it is at age 100+.
When there’s a lack of warm relationships, as can happen in other care environments and at home, it adversely affects mood, mental and physical health and quality of life.
As identified in a recent Age UK report on loneliness, physical and mental health difficulties are key drivers in loneliness and ‘can reduce older people’s ability to participate in community activities and inhibit their ability to maintain or establish meaningful relationships’.
Our residents know that at Huntington House, relationships are everything. We ensure that all residents are “free to be me” and able to create a rich, full, nourishing life.
Believing wholeheartedly in the Dragonfly Approach means we value emotional intelligence, domestic living and respect, and we support every resident, caring about and for the whole person so they can write the next chapter of their story.
Our wonderful team magics this ethos to life. All over our house and grounds, and when we’re out on trips and outings, we bring colour, love and care to each resident’s daily life. Huntington House is one truly big happy family – arguments about Monopoly and all!
“She refers to them as ‘friends’, and that includes the staff as well as the people living in the home. It is this blurring which makes Huntington special. She is incredibly fond of them. I love that they will sometimes pop in and suggest going for a walk outside, which she loves. It feels very normal and relaxed rather than doing something to or for her. That’s beyond valuable to her.” – Family member.
At the Huntington & Langham Estate, we provide luxury care across our two specialist care homes. Family-owned and run, we offer dignified, compassionate and personalised care to our residents, giving them the nurturing support they need to continue living full, independent and meaningful lives.
To arrange a visit to the Estate and tour our homes and grounds, please call 01428 604 600 or complete this form.
The weather has been magnificent this month for outdoor activities including gardening with grandchildren visiting the Estate, trips to the shops, Bird World and the wonderful Petersfield lake.
For more news on life across the Estate read our monthly Newsletter
There is never a dull day at The Huntington and Langham Estate, with our varied programme of activities available for all to join in.
What a wonderful weekend of Coronation Celebrations we have had across the Estate. With the bunting up and flag flying over Huntington House, the place was all decked out in Red, White and Blue with the restaurant fit for a New King!
Everyone had such a fun day on Saturday watching the Coronation on TV, marvelling at the outfits and singing along to the hymns.
For many it was an opportunity for reminiscing about the Queens Coronation all those years ago, when families and neighbours came together to crowd around the TV bought especially or listening to the service over the radio.
We were also joined earlier in the week by some of the local primary school children who came along to help decorate the lounge window in Huntington House.
With cheers of “God Save The King” it was a very special day for all.
April seems to have gone by in a flash with lots of visitors to the Estate. We have been delighted to welcome lots of visitors to Huntington House and Langham Court this month, as well as a few unusual guests waddling along the corridors!
Seeing the delight of those living in Huntington House, was a great reminder of the power of animal therapy....
Huntington House
Langham Court
