Read more in Activities , Care homes , Community , Spotlight , St Peter's Park
Last week, a very special birthday took place at our Bexhill care home, St Peter’s Park in East Sussex. As the whole of the home gathered to wish resident Nita a magnificent 100th birthday, so did her family.
All five generations of it!
Nita rang in her 100th year in truly fantastic company – not least with her letter from the Queen! Marking a century, Nita was visited by her daughter Wendy, her granddaughter Donna, her great-granddaughter Chloe, and her great-great-grandson Reuben!
It’s been nothing less than humbling to see Nita surrounded by a legacy that she started, and the visit meant the world to her, too.
“It was wonderful,” says Nita about the celebration, adding “I got rather tired, but I made up for it the next day!” – which is the mark of a fabulous birthday.
When your birthday letter from the Queen has some competition for being your most inspiring achievement, it’s clear that you’ve done something right.
St Peter’s Park Manager, Lisa Turner, was thrilled with how the day went, saying;
It was a pleasure to celebrate Nita’s 100th Birthday at St Peter’s Park. Nita is fairly new to us and it was a lovely way to welcome her into the home.
Nita may be new, but she is already a beloved resident of St Peter’s Park, and her connections with other residents and staff were clear when she was serenaded with “Happy Birthday To You” by the whole home. Already enthusiastically welcomed into the St Peter’s Park community, the visit from Nita’s phenomenal family tree was, as we say, the icing on the cake.
During the last year, we’ve never lost sight of the importance of loved ones. Being able to turn to family – biological or chosen – in times of great need is one of the most affirming parts of life, and our care workers have seen the importance of this now more than ever.
Because of recent restrictions on our lives, with the impact of the pandemic, it’s important to take care of our minds as well as our bodies. Enjoying connections with community is a very good way to do that.
As a result, we’ve been stepping up our efforts to safely welcome visits from families just like Nita’s. By following government guidelines as they change, and by carefully assessing risks and solutions, St Peter’s Park has been incredibly proud to host over 150 visits in the last month alone.
The difference this makes to our residents and their extended families is immense. Wendy, Nita’s daughter said of the visit; “On behalf of myself and my family I would like to say a huge ‘Thank You’ to you and all your staff who made my mother’s 100th birthday so special.”
Getting back to normal is still a work in progress, but with a little help from our friends, we can do it.
If you’re looking for a residential care option for your loved one, such as our Bexhill care home, our cost calculator, and our 10 tips to think about, can be helpful tools for you.
Read more in Activities , Care homes , Community , Spotlight , St Peter's Park