Residents of Kingston House, a Greensleeves Care home in Calne, have been hitting the roads recently on a series of day trips. Prior to the pandemic, the Kingston House minibus was a regular on the roads, but due to the government restrictions on care homes, the trips were temporarily halted.
Over the last year, we have all had to go without certain things in our lives, and the residents of Kingston House have certainly missed being able to get out and about into the local area, particularly as Calne is such a beautiful place to live.
Home Manager, Catherine Beswick, wanted to bring the minibus experience back to the residents in order to lift spirits within the home, and welcome the slow and steady return to normal. Of course, the residents’ safety is always the main priority, and although currently government guidelines mean that the residents cannot get off the bus, it has made a huge difference just to get out for a drive and see the local area. There is also a thorough risk assessment in place for each trip.
Often the road-trippers will plan out a route, but spontaneous trips are always welcome as well. One resident even acted as a tour guide on one of their outings: they drove through the area he had lived in for years, whilst he pointed out all of the landmarks. Certainly a trip down memory lane!
Another resident said that going for a drive made him feel “like a new person!”
Catherine said of the trips, “This is a small step towards some sort of normality for our residents who have had to adjust and miss out on so much over the last year. It really has had a positive impact on the wellbeing of the residents, and we are never short of people wanting to go.”
One thing is for certain, the trips always end in a cup of tea and a cake, overlooking a beautiful view.
