Marriotts Messenger

Inside this issue

• A few words from our General Manager

• Home News • Recent Events • Community News • A few words from

Barchester

• And much more!

Hello and Welcome!

Welcome to our summer newsletter 2015. As you will be able to read we have had a busy few months with lots of events and fund raising. We have been lucky enough to have had many events published in the Chichester Observer. I am also delighted to report that our Head Chef, Darryl will be representing our region in the Barchester Chef of the year competition. I am sure you will join me in wishing Darryl luck at the cook off in Birmingham. The results will be announced at the Care Awards which will be held in Manchester during September 2015. I would also like to welcome all of our new residents and staff to Marriott House and Lodge and may your time with us be happy and full of fun.

DON’T FORGET!!!! CARIBBEAN

THEMED SUMMER FETE

SATURDAY 1ST AUGUST 2pm-4pm

Join us for an afternoon

of fun and games!

With Best Wishes

Theresa Shell

General Manager

Marriott House & Lodge Nursing and Residential Care Home

Tollhouse Close, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1SG

Tel: 01243 536652 • www.barchester.com

News in and around Marriott House and Lodge

Open Day On the 19th June We opened our beautiful home and gardens to the community, young and old came together for our annual summer scruffs dog show and special afternoon tea. Care Home Open Day is celebrated by care homes across the country. It aims to encourage stronger relationships between care homes and the local community. It also provides a chance for people to come and see what life inside a home is really like and get to know some of the fascinating people who live there. Theresa, General Manager, said: “It was great that so many people came along to celebrate National Care Home Open Day with us and the dog show was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Our staff and residents love a good celebration but it’s always extra special when the local community get involved too. One visitor said ‘I always thought you came to a nursing home to die, but by coming here today I can see you come here to live!” and another ‘you have totally changed my view on what a care home is and I am looking forward to staying here in the future’.

GREAT MARRIOTTS BAKE OFF On Tuesday 26th May

we decided to hold our

own Bake Off!!

Residents, their relatives

and staff all got involved with the spirit of the

event, in the lead up to the bake off residents

made decorations during art and craft sessions.

The two activity coordinators (Kim Monery and

Becki Napier-Raikes), one from the house and one

from the lodge each had a team and made a cake

during activity cooking sessions. The afternoon

included an afternoon of competitions, the cakes

were decorated using a variety of methods.

The winners were decided and then the cakes

enjoyed by everyone!

Blooming Great

Tea Party

PIMMS AFTERNOON

On Thursday 4th June, Residents and visitors enjoy being in

our beautiful gardens, so with the sun shining a special

Pimms's afternoon with strawberries and cream was organised.

Many residents and visitors joined us for a social afternoon; a

great afternoon was had by all. We are looking forward to

many more events in the garden over the summer months.

Marriott House and Lodge held a Blooming Great Tea Party to raise funds for Marie Curie on 9th July 2015. The event included Staff and residents wearing Yellow and making a donation to the charity. A Blooming Great Tea Party and cookie competition to incorporate national sugar cookie day were held in our gardens during the afternoon. All the money raised from the Blooming Great Tea Party will help Marie Curie Nurses to provide more free care to people living with a terminal illness in their own homes and in the Marie Curie Hospices.

News in and around Marriott House and Lodge

Wrong trousers day!!

Giant Garden Games

Following a donation in memory of one of

our former residents the current residents

decided that some games for the garden

would be good fun!!! As you can see from

the photos they are already being used to

their full potential!!!

You would have been forgiven for thinking that the staff

had got dressed in the dark on Friday 26th June! Several of

them were sporting their pyjamas; others were in shorts,

jodhpurs and Dean arrived in women’s leggings!!

It was all in aid of Wrong Trousers Day, a national fund-

raising effort for the Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s

Foundation, supporting children in hospitals and hospices

throughout the UK. By dressing in the wrong

trousers staff were ‘fined’ a pound. In total £25 was raised for the charity,

and the costumes rose more than a few laughs as well.

On Monday 29th June we opened up

our beautiful gardens for a day of

events to

celebrate this

years POPPY PICNIC with all

donations received going to

the Royal British Legion

Residents, Staff and visitors

enjoyed a special ploughman’s lunch in the garden !

The afternoon of the 29th

June was dedicated to

celebrate the start of

Wimbledon!

A special strawberry tea

afternoon was enjoyed by

many, this included cream

scones, pimms and Strawberries.

The lounges etc were decorated

with a Wimbledon ‘feel’ with decorations made

during recent art and craft sessions

£25

May Day Pole Dancing May Day was celebrated at Marriott House and Lodge with some traditional May Pole dancing, with staff, residents and visitors joining in. Lots of discussion was provoked by the afternoon, this included lots of memories being shared. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon and the efforts put in by those May Day pole dancing.

More news in and around Marriott House and Lodge

SPORTS DAY

On Friday 24th July staff laced up their trainers and

warmed-up for our first sports day.

A team from each department took to their marks in

the Egg and spoon, wheelbarrow racing. dressing up

race and many more categories. They were cheered on

by Residents,visitors and staff members. The teams

battled it out to be crowned sporting champions in

what proved to be a closely fought competition.

The kitchen team were crowned the champions, receiving gold medals and the prestigious cup!.

The house care team were awarded silver medals and the

housekeeping were

awarded bronze

medals for third place.

This will now become

a yearly event at the

home.

Can you donate for Reminiscence boxes? Reminiscence therapy is a form of therapeutic intervention that seeks to engage older adults by using their life history as a tool. Using music, Pictures, Jewellery, clothing and especially Product packaging from times gone, this can help to engage elderly people in conversations and improve their mental health by using reminiscence to relive happy memories. Nostalgic resources that help to stimulate the memory and encourage discussion of times gone by. We are asking for your help to make some reminiscence boxes for the residents to use both with staff and whilst alone, ideally we would like a few different themed boxes with titles like – gardening, Jewellery box, In the Kitchen, Going on a Journey. Ideally we would like a few SAFE things to go in our boxes, if you have anything which you could donate we would be so very grateful, as I am sure would the residents.

We are always looking for Volunteers to help with the

activities within the home. The role of the volunteer may include

joining residents on outings in the minibus, driving the minibus,

playing games and enjoying one-to-one chats with the

Residents.

Any volunteer is subject to a Criminal Records Bureau check,

the cost of which would be covered by the home.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact

Sarah Harding

Marriott House and Lodge Staff News

Carers Week is a national initiative to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. This year the week fell on 8th – 14th June. . Carers have special bonds with the people

they look after. We have 47 carers who have great rapport with the residents they look after. To celebrate the week care staff were treated to a box of goodies including fruits, sweets, crisps and a variety of drinks to enjoy during the week.

Management, Admin and Activity staff also took over from the carers at lunch time so that they can join the residents for lunch. Other events will be arranged during the week as a special treat to care staff The home also received a basket of sweets as a thank you to all the carers working there from Barchester Healthcare, the care provider that runs the home.

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH

New for 2015 is Marriott House and Lodge Employee of the month. In both reception areas there is a box for you to place your nominations. At the end of each month these will be looked at employee of the

month with be chosen. We have already awarded several

members for all their hard work. We would urge you to please make your

nominations!!

We have recently awarded several staff for their long service at Marriott House and Lodge . Sarah Harding celebrated her 15 years service. Sarah is now Head of Activities, Care Practitioner and Home Trainer, Sarah started as a night care assistant. Sarah has completed qualifications in care and activities and recently the care practitioner award. Sarah is also involved in the planning and delivery of training for the staff using her Assessor and trainer qualifications

Two other members of staff celebrated 10 years service. Gabrielle Peters now Care Practitioner started as a night care assistant. Gaby has completed qualifications in care and recently became one of the companies first care practitioners

James Hogg, 2nd Chef is crucial to the running of the kitchen and ensuring that every part of the catering service is an enjoyable experience for our residents and visitors, ensuring every meal and snack is not only delicious but reflects each individual’s likes, dislikes and dietary needs

LONG SERVICE AWARDS

Nurse’s Week

Barchester celebrated the commitment and skill of its nurses by sending every Barchester nurse a fob watch as a gift for International Nurses’ Day. Barchester’s nurses have an important role in ensuring that residents receive the best possible quality care daily. Their approach is person-centred and with a variety of complex care needs to attend to, their expertise and dedication is crucial to delivering excellent care services.

Marriott House- Not your ‘normal’ home!

The following has been written by Theresa Shell, General Manager at Marriott House. Theresa felt this story about Wendy and her carers is uplifting and touching and she wanted to share with everyone how proud she is of her team and the exceptional care that Marriott House offer.

Wendy had been a resident at Marriott House for a number of years, eight in fact, the staff had come to know her very well. Even though she couldn't speak very well, she had a stroke before coming to our home and was in a wheelchair permanently. She could no longer walk or feed herself. It all sounds such a tragic story, but wow did she have personality- she could shop for England! And had more clothes then most of the other residents put together, in summer she would wear her jeans shorts and a bikini top to sunbathe in the recliner chair, she was Australian and loved the Sunshine. She refused to get 'old’ and good on her!. Unfortunately Wendy became ill, and try as we might she could not keep fighting the inevitable, at 80 years and one day old Wendy died, surrounded by the loving staff. Now as much as this tale is about Wendy, I want to tell you about the girls who looked after her, not because they desire any praise, in fact I think they would be embarrassed if I mentioned their names so I shall not, but their actions need to be noted. It is a sad fact that part of our 'job' here is to care for people at the end of their lives and to ensure their passing is as they would wish it to be. I am often asked about 'palliative care' and my reply is that we 'do it well', but how do you quantify that, how can I describe to you what I mean when I say we are proud of our care during that time, when the end result is always a sad event. So I will describe some of the events of the last few days of Wendy’s life, and I'm not talking about her personal care or the intimate details of what was wrong with her, more the experience that I saw her having. She was in bed and well cared for physically as you would expect, but our lovely carers do just that, they care. We knew that she did not want to die alone, I saw staff sat with her reading with her, watching TV with her holding hands and reassuring her, reminiscing over fun times they had shared together. She was such a bubbly character and enjoyed a laugh and on the night of her 80th birthday there were 4 girls having an impromptu party in her room with her, and she had such a sparkle in her eye, they knew her so well and loved her, they knew she wanted to have as much fun as she could, they laughed and joked with her throughout the night, and for 3 nights before she died members of staff would sit with her throughout the night. Now you might expect this as just good practice, as would I, but what you don't realise is that these girls had done a full and very busy day shift, and refused to go home they refused payment for their time, some went home and showered etc then came back to be with her as they knew she did not want to be alone. I wish I had the words to describe the beautiful scene that I saw on her birthday night, for someone who refused to get old, it was perfect! It might not have been what everyone would describe as ‘normal nursing home etiquette’, but it was absolutely perfect for her. Wendy has since been visited in the chapel of rest by these carers, who needed to say their last goodbyes to a friend as well as a resident. We are professional and do everything we can for our residents, but we are also human and all too often will get very attached to them, and although we have to deal with death more often than most people, we’re not completely immune. Often our bond with residents we see daily is much more than you would realise, we don't apologise for that, we are proud of it.

Community News

CHICHESTER PARKINSONS SUPPORT GROUP.

The local Chichester & Bognor Regis Branch

of Parkinson’s UK now hold their monthly

informal meetings at Marriott House on the

2nd Monday of the month. Carers normally

have their meeting separately from People with

Parkinson’s For more information please

contact Alan Mee, Chairman on 01243 788539

MEETING ROOM FACILITIES

At Marriott House and Lodge we are very fortunate to have beautiful surroundings and facilities which we are very proud of. We are very lucky to have a meeting room which is suitable for groups of up to 10 people around the meeting table, or up to 20 in a theatre style layout. Tea and coffee facilities are available as are buffet luncheons. If you are interested in hiring out the space please speak to Theresa Shell on 01243 536652 or Theresa.shell@barchester.com

If you would like to receive future copies of newsletters or

information about forthcoming events please send an email to sarah.harding@barchester.com

If you need to contact us for any other reasons please use the following emails marriott@barchester.com or

reception.marriott@barchester.com

DAY CARE SERVICE

Due to popular demand we are now offering a new

service exclusively to previous residents of Marriott

House & Lodge.

Daily Respite Service

Care available from 9am to 3pm as and when

you need it.

Join in with any of the in house activities

provided by our team of activity professionals.

Enjoy a well-cooked lunch, prepared by our

highly skilled chefs.

Enjoy the luxury of an assisted bath with the

help of our excellent care staff.

Relax in the company of old and new friends in

comfortable safe surroundings.

Our daily respite service has been created to provide

a safe environment for our former respite residents as

and when they need us*. Perhaps your main carer is in

need of a break, or is unavailable for the day or you

are just feeling like a change of scene and would like

to have some different company with old and new

friends. Our day care service costs just £40.00 per day

and includes a delicious lunch and all our available

activities, should you wish to take advantage of our

assisted bathing service for an additional £10.00 our

dedicated care staff would be happy to help.

*booking is essential as places are limited.

MARRIOTTS BREAKFAST CLUB! We continue to hold a

breakfast club on the first Friday of

the month from 8am. This is an

opportunity for care professionals and

representatives from various

organisations who play a key role in the community to

meet. If you would like to attend please contact

Justine.Cowell@barchester.com

Marriott House and Lodge are keen to involve themselves with the local community, bringing them into the home and also taking our residents out to it. We offer free meeting facilities to local groups where

they can meet in a private and comfortable environment.

If you are interested in discussing our community facilities, please do not hesitate to contact Theresa

Shell to arrange a coffee and a look around.

The Chichester Carers Support West Sussex Group is a small group of

carers that meet up for a cuppa and a chat on a monthly basis. Meetings are held on the last Tuesday of

the month at 11.00am at Marriott House and Lodge. Please contact Carers Support West Sussex on 01243

537011 louise.spong@carerssupportservice.org.uk for more information

A few words from Barchester

Barchy Bear Hunt

Barchester’s Charitable Foundation celebrated the most important week of their fundraising calendar on 25th – 31st May. During Foundation Week 2015, Barchester care homes across the UK celebrated with tea parties and organised bear hunts, where participants searched high and low for the Foundation’s adorable mascot Barchy Bear. Staff at Barchester’s Head Office also joined in the fundraising fun with a cake sale and a bear hunt of their own. Barchester’s Charitable Foundation supports older people and other adults with a disability by giving small grants to help promote personal independence, dignity and quality of life. To find out more, please visit: www.bhcfoundation.org.uk You can now follow Barchy Bear on Twitter: @BarchyBear

Care Awards

2015

Thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate a member of staff for Barchester’s Care Awards 2015. Over 1,000 nominations were received in total and the judges are going to have a hard time choosing between so many fantastic nominees! The judging process is now well underway and the names of the overall winners of each category, including the winners of Barchester in Bloom, will be revealed at a special awards ceremony in September.

Gardens in full Bloom Gardening enthusiasts living and working at Barchester care homes across the country have been working hard to get their gardens ready for Barchester’s annual gardening competition, Barchester in Bloom. Judges have already been hugely impressed by the gardens and floral displays they have seen. The winners of Barchester in Bloom 2015 will be announced alongside the Care Awards winners at an awards ceremony in September. The categories this year are:

Most innovative garden

Most improved garden

Community garden

Garden of the year

Summer Recipe – Goats Cheese and Red Pepper Tart Cut into finger slices, this tasty tart would be perfect to take along to a summer garden party. Alternatively, serve it with salad for a meal that is nutritious, refreshing and satisfying. Ingredients: (serves 4) Shortcrust pastry 200g Red pepper – 1 Olive oil – 3tbsp Onions, finely chopped – 100g Clove garlic – 1 Fresh basil leaves – 10 Goat’s cheese, sliced – 50g Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C / gas

mark 4. 2. Roll out the shortcrust pastry and use it

to line 4 x 12cm individual tins. 3. Bake the pastry blind (partly cook it) for

20 minutes. 4. Preheat the grill to high. Skin the red

pepper by brushing with 1tbsp oil and grilling until blistered.

5. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan and sweat the onions and garlic golden brown.

6. Sprinkle the onions over the pastry. 7. Halve the peppers, remove the seeds and

cut into thin strips. 8. Place the pepper strips on top of the

onions. 9. Arrange the basil and goat’s cheese on

the veggeatables. Brish with the remaining olive oil and season.

10. Bake for 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and lightly coloured.