Activities

Past Activities include:

• Restaurant trips

Local restaurants and pubs for meals, both planned events and off the cuff visits. Lime Tree has established links with local pubs providing both meals and evenings for a casual drink or two. All staff are trained to support on community visits and are keen to help our residents enjoy opportunities to access pubs and restaurants.

• Theatre Trips

A large number of residents and carers enjoyed the pantomime last Christmas period; residents share their tastes during personal reviews and resident meetings to help us target shows and events taking place at local theatres and gig venues.

• Shopping trips

Residents visit the local shops daily to promote independence and exercise; in addition to this we have escorted residents to high street shops and out of town shopping centres. Residents are supported to shop for themselves and help with the shopping for the community within Lime Tree House.

• Arts and Crafts

Rarely a day passes without some form of art and craft taking place. We have some committed knitters amongst staff and residents, we also make decorations for festivals during the year; cards for valentines, Easter and Christmas. We have a keen artist regularly staying with us who has been supported to draw and paint caricatures of the staff team. Our supplies of paper, pens, pencils and paints are frequently topped up. Piñatas have been made for Easter, Banners advertising our fairs and coffee mornings have been strung across our car park. We have a supply of adult colouring sheets available and whenever a new resident arrives with fresh ideas we have bought the equipment needed to satisfy their creative wants.

• Snooker and Pool

We have had residents regularly attending the local pubs and clubs to play both snooker and pool. We also have a foosball table within our American Lounge to bring the air of competition within the home.

• Library

We actively support accessing local libraries for residents, we have included library trips as part of our local walking trips, we also enable accessing the large library in Chesterfield or any other local libraries. We also have a collection of books for residents to access within Lime Tree House.

• Swimming

The local swimming baths support residents to access their facilities and our carers facilitate swimming on either a regular or ad hoc basis.

• Leisure Centres

The local leisure centre supports residents with access to exercise equipment and organised chair based exercises, this is in addition to use of the swimming pool. Our staff provide escorts to organised activities and can support when residents wish to use the equipment independently.

• Country Walks

Lime Tree House has easy access to public footpaths with residents accessing the canal towpaths. Placed on the outskirts of Chesterfield we can take advantage of the beautiful scenery locally and in a short car journey we can be surrounded by the Peak District countryside and more challenging walks.

• Knitting

We have both residents and carers who enjoy creating with needles and yarn, this is great for aiding relaxation and developing a sense of achievement for all involved.

• Baking

Baking has featured heavily in our activities from first opening. There are many a day where staff and residents compete for who has baked the best cake. We have a kitchen available for residents to use, this is equipped to reflect a typical domestic environment and helps, not only with activities but also with opportunities to promote independence. Cakes are common at Lime Tree House, as are buns and cookies. There is always a willing volunteer to taste the wares of the bakers.

• Cooking

As part of our drive to improve independence we have a regular cooking session for residents in which, under supervision, residents help prepare the meal for the evening. In addition to this there are regular opportunities to help with vegetable prep. Residents are included in designing the weekly menu and with the food ordering for Lime Tree House.

• Take Away & Movie Nights

Lime Tree House is a home and we like to promote an atmosphere that reflects normal everyday home life, as part of this we hold take away and move nights, we have a wide range of dvds available and regularly buy more to suit individual tastes. Take aways have included Pizza, Curry and Chinese.

• Gaming

From Mario Brothers to Wii Sports, Call of Duty to Pro Evolution Soccer, we can provide a wide range of games to suit all tastes. We have several consoles which can be used in a group session or in individual’s bedrooms. We also have access to the internet using resident access Wi-Fi.

• Board Games

If electronic entertainment isn’t your thing we have a selection of board games and we really see the competitive nature of our residents and care staff when frustration or jenga appear. Dominoes are played regularly along with card games and various other board games and jigsaws.

• Clubs, Pubs and Night Clubs

We have had residents join local social clubs to access their pool and snooker tables and to enjoy a swift half. We regularly assist our residents to access the local hostelries, whether for a meal or just for a pint and a chat, and we have helped residents attend night clubs in Chesterfield.

• Concerts

As a small home we don’t suit entertainers providing concerts in Lime Tree House, so if the entertainer can’t come to us we go to the entertainer. Tribute acts are a favourite with trips to see the carpenters and the rat pack proving successful.

Planned Activities include:

• Paintballing/Lazerquest

A joint trip to test residents and staff on their desire to survive and overcome.

• Seaside Trips

Current Ideas include Cleethorpes, Whitby, Skegness, Filey, Scarborough

• Chatsworth House and Gardens

Visits to take advantage of themes and events taking place at the Duke of Devonshire’s family home, whether Christmas fairs or sculpture exhibitions we will see what takes our fancy.

• Summer Fairs and Christmas Fairs

We have been well supported in our previous fairs and would like to open our doors to more visitors, come along, take part in our raffles, games, stalls and barbecues. Our future fairs will include support for charities relevant to our care activities and raising funds to support our residents with day trips and equipment.

• Bowling

The local bowling alley offers more than just bowling. Our residents can access snooker, pool, a bar and fast food. Another great opportunity to demonstrate just how competitive our residents and staff can be. All in the name of fun.

• Matlock Bath

No Autumn would be complete without a stroll down the promenade at Matlock Bath. See the lights, enjoy the motorbikes and partake of the fish and chips.

• Bakewell Market

A bustling market town, Bakewell not only satisfies the needs of the farming community but has a wide range of stalls providing tools, fruit, veg, clothing and jewellery. A lovely town to visit any day of the week but more vibrant and fulfilling on market day.