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.
Why we plan for our activities not to be organised
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.”
We’d love to tell you about a day in the life of one of our Homemakers… but we can’t
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.”
Bringing your whole self to work every day
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.
We care about family and friends too
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.