Recent Events

September seems to have passed very quickly as we now enter into Autumn.

The weather was up and down throughout the month which made it difficult to plan outdoor activities.

We did manage to have a couple of BBQs when the weather was sunny, although the first one was unsuccessful as residents felt too cold to sit outside.

Our second attempt, and final BBQ of the year, was much better although despite being over 20 degrees, it was still a little chilly for some of our residents.

We had the wonderful Graham Broad at Elmfield on one of the sunny days mid- September, to perform a garden show for us.

As always, Graham sang a wide range of well- known songs from across the eras.

His cheeky personality and excellent choice of songs, resulted in a number of residents dancing and singing along. We had a wonderful afternoon followed by afternoon tea.

Garden visits have continued into September with varying degrees of success. The weather has been very temperamental and some scheduled visits have been in wet, windy and cold conditions. This has resulted in some visits being cancelled by the resident or the relative.

We have had some wonderful garden visits with residents seeing loved ones and the positive impact has been delightful to see.

Whole home testing has commenced after difficulties booking courier collections. First batch of swab tests have now been sent off and we are anxiously awaiting results. There are delays in obtaining results at present. We will be conducting staff testing on a weekly basis, and resident testing on a monthly basis, as is the current government guidelines.

We have obtained some valuable resources for our Bisley history project. Local people have given us information booklets, links to websites and even offered us the opportunity to buy a published book. We hope to start our history project in October.

Nicky the hairdresser has been into Elmfield every fortnight to keep our ladies and gentleman looking smart and well- groomed.

Upcoming Events

Keyworkers will be doing work with residents on their life history. We will be looking deeper into resident’s family, occupation, memories and experiences.

 Any memorabilia or photographs relatives think may be useful would be much appreciated. We are looking forward to learning more about our residents and how their experiences have shaped their values, attitudes and lifestyles.

October brings darker mornings, darker nights which means more cosy activities within the home. We will hold film days, do quizzes, bake and cook traditional hearty meals.

Due to on-going visiting restrictions, it seems unlikely that we will have our usual Halloween Party. However, we will think of something alternative to do to acknowledge the event.

Staff and resident changes

We did not have any staffing changes during September.

However, there will be several new starters during October as Niccii has employed a number of new staff.

Some of the existing staff will also be changing their job role slightly so watch this space!

Birthdays

In September, we celebrated Leslie Sherlock’s birthday. Leslie turned 89 years old. He was visited by his brother Roger in the garden and we had a birthday tea and a cake. Leslie enjoyed his birthday and was very surprised at all the attention being given to him.

Other News

We have been approached by a local gentleman who, over the lockdown months, utilised the time he had taking photos of the wildlife in the Bisley community. Due to popular demand, he has used some of his photographs and created a stunning Bisley wildlife calendar. We have a copy of the calendar should any of our staff, residents or visitors wish to purchase one. Profits are shared between Bisley Village Hall and Friends of Bisley School charities. If anyone is interested, please let Niccii know. Calendars cost £10 each.

All residents, except one who is allergic to it, had their annual flu vaccination last week.

Staff are strongly recommended to have their flu vaccination this winter, however supplies are already running low.

We are planning ahead for the winter and potential enhanced challenges it may bring with the on-going Covid 19 pandemic. Copies of the winter plan will be distributed once completed.

Employee of the month

Employee of the month for September has been awarded to Christy Mosito, who works full- time nights. Christy is being recognised for displaying a positive attitude through these very challenging times, has notably enhanced team work, has displayed some very good record- keeping and has made some positive changes to her work ethic embracing feedback. Christy has always been a valued member of our team and she has regained her sparkle. Keep up the great work!