Kingfisher House Residential Home

Scaltback Middle School Community program

What does the mission statement of Kingfisher House say it wants to achieve?To treat everyone fairly and to give respect. To make sure everyone is always safe. Luke The first person I met was called Betty. She was funny because she told Mr S, our teacher, what to do. She was also a bit rude because she kept saying some bad words. She was also kind because she gave us chocolate biscuits. I also met Freida. We talked about what we wanted to do when we were older. She called me Rupert ha-ha! We also met Daisy who was paralysed and she asked lots of questions about us. Robert.I think that we get to know a resident and learn about their past. EvieOur aim is to administer to the physical, psychological and spiritual needs of our residents, enabling them to enjoy the day. – Ryan.It says that it will provide the best care for its residents and will have a tidy and clean environment – Reno. It is a good statement because it tells you what they do here. It shows how professional they are. Hannah LI think the statement is very well thought through. Amelia C

What do you think of this statement?Just because people are old, it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t get treated properly. They should still feel safe in their own rooms known as homes. Luke It is a good statement because it tells us about what you are meant to do. Ryan.It is good and reasonable. – Aaron.I think it’s good because you find out about their past. Kelly.I think it says what we are doing in a positive and meaningful way. Ryan.I think it is a good statement. Kyle.That the statement is good and it does what it says. Craig.I think it is a very good statement – Reno.

Tell us about a resident you met.I met lots of residents, Peter, Betty, Ivy, George. I really liked Ivy, she was kind. She told us about her old home in Cheverly. I also liked George. I painted him a picture of elephants as George really likes elephants. When we got there we met a carer called Lesley. She organised all the events. She showed us around. The home has

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two floors. On one floor is where we play bingo and on the other floor are more homes and a room where they do quizzes. Luke They have a living room on both floors. When I met George he told us about his son-in-law who went to Egypt and he bought him back a singing and dancing dog. George told us that something happened to his leg when he had a stroke. He has been on his own and not used to new people but once he got to know us he was really nice. Sophie Frieda was the first resident we met. She had one girl and two boys when we asked her about her children. We watched Countdown with Frieda and had a laugh. I enjoyed speaking with her very much. We also met Olive. She sadly had a stroke so we couldn’t really understand. We also met Betty who was ever so funny. She used to be a barmaid and enjoyed it very much. Sarah Betty was really nice. We were talking about families and her uncle started up Bury rugby club. She didn’t want us to leave as she goes in for surgery tomorrow.I met Betty she was very nice and she was very funny. Ross.Well we had to walk round and knock on door and talked. Lucy.Betty is funny, well we had to walk round and knock on door and talk. Bo.We met a resident called Doris C and another lady who thought her name was Doris C but her name is not. She thinks this because she has memory loss. She says she loves ham sandwiches and likes quizzes and likes musicals like the Sound of Music. She also says that she had her own teeth at 93 and was very proud! Doris C lived next to Richard so he knew her well. Elliott. I met a man called John, he was very nice. Evie. I met my old neighbour, Doris C and her sister, Joan. It was quite nice to actually see her again. We had a great conversation between us, but unfortunately, she doesn’t actually remember me. Richard.We met a lady called Betty. She told us that she liked roses and when I mentioned orchids then she talked about her wedding. Rachel.Rosemary is very nice. She really likes horses. She is very interested in pictures like lots of them on her wall. Tanya. I met this man who was in the war and is 94. He told us that you don’t ask a lady her age. Kelly. There was also Betty who liked art and went to university to study art. She then became a person who makes clothes. She likes fish and chips the best. She likes to play bingo and scrabble. She also said that she watches Countdown and also said that she has been to Greece. Kelly. Irene is blind but is very kind and when me and Zoe went to see her she really enjoyed us talking to her and was saying how kind we are. Abigail. Doris was one of the residents I met. She was full of joy and happy to tell me all about her life and hobbies. Ryan. The resident that I met was nice. Her dad was a famous jockey. Craig. One of the residents was called Betty – Reno. On my first visit to Kingfisher I met Irene Davys. She is blind but really nice and was telling me about her new shoes that she got

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down town. She said they were very comfortable - then she went to get a cup of tea then she went home. Zoe. Today was our first day at Kingfisher house. Ruth and I were serving the teas and coffees to everyone there, on the bottom floor. We talked to a lady called Ella and she told us about her brother being a jockey and she had a lot of photos of him on her wall. We also saw a man called George and he was very lively and told a couple of jokes. We all went into the lounge and sat there for a while talking to a lot of people. There were a couple of ladies called Doris and Sarah. Doris has 7 brothers and 4 sisters but she couldn’t remember all their names. Sarah had a nickname; it was queen of bingo because she had won bingo for 3 weeks running. She said that the prizes were great because they won chocolate and lots of other nice things - Zoe M.I met a lady who had a daughter called Beverley but didn’t have a clue how old she was. Beth H I met Doris J who was telling us about her own sisters and what school she went to. We also met Douglas and John. Chalease T.Betty was an accountant who also used to be a dressmaker. Georgina LToday, Hannah and I met Betty and we talked about motor bikes. Nathan A.Doris went to my old school of All Saints. Doris was Doris J and then changed it back to Doris C. Ivy Smith is very nice. She used to live with her dogs. Amelia C It went really well it helps more because you know what to talk about. Ross. Well we told them about us and our family and animals. Lucy.Well we told them about us and our family and animals. Bo.All the residents enjoyed seeing our photos and all conversations we use it for went well. It went well; it helped me to start a conversation better. Evie. I showed the photos to Doris and Betty and was then able to start a conversation about me as a young child, going on to say what they did as a child. Unfortunately, Doris still didn’t recognize me.It went well because it gave us something to talk about. Rachel.The photographs really helped us to speak to the residents and we had a good laugh at some times. Kieran.We met a resident called John H who was the grandparent of my friend Cameron who has just previously moved up to the college - Jay PBetty showed us pictures of her husband who died 12 years ago - Angel RBetty showed us her photos – her husband was in a games cart and had been dead for 12 years this month – Kira S

Write something about special arrangements for residents such as baths or toilet facilities.They have special pots to wee in which go to the sluice room. – William GThey have a room called the sluice room which is for disposing of body liquids – Jay PExtra wide doors on the toilets and bathrooms – Angel R

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They have got bars they can hold on to – Kira S

What is special about the front doors in the home?The front doors look like regular home doors which gives a homely feel. Jay P.They have their names and numbers on their door. Angel R.They are big to get through with wheelchairs. They are like outside doors. Kira S.

What did you learn from your visit?I learnt how to socialise with people different from me. Ryan.I learned how to play scrabble. Kyle.That it is good to socialise with older people. I learnt from my visit that you have to speak a lot louder, clearer and slower for them to understand you. Ruth.I learnt that all the old people there used to be young as well and they had lots of interesting stories they’d just like to tell someone. Beth H.

What was negative about your visit and what would you suggest we all do to overcome your observation?I didn’t have one negative thing from my first visit, every moment of my visit was filled with another more exciting moment of one of their lives. Ryan. Nothing was negative. Kyle. I think we could edit the bit about them dying because no one really wants to hear about someone dying. Ryan. On our first visit we played scrabble. I didn’t know how to play so I had to score. Betty 1, Betty 2 and Freda were nice ladies and wanted to see us next week which was good. They want to see us and our family in a picture. I learned how to play scrabble for next week. Kyle. The thing that failed the visit was that a woman was fainting down the corridor. Craig. The woman that I was talking to was a very nice lady and she told me a story and she said that she lived through two world wars. She also told me and Emma that she was 98 years old. So I said you look young for your age and she said oh thank you. I was enjoying my visit because we were telling each other and Emma was telling her that she was going to be a bridesmaid the same Saturday. She was telling that she had won the Xmas hamper down at the post office. When we were talking she told us that her dad was a famous jockey, her granddad was the chief at Scotland Yard and they had to do what he said. She also said about the Newmarket College and about the swimming pool and I said that they are going to spend eight million pounds on the swimming pool alone. When she said something she said about when she was little she had a dirty old swimming pool and that it was a dirty old coal cart what trains used to use to carry coal washed out and filled up. She also said that she used to live next door to a major and she had a photo of that on her mirror. She was also telling us where she used to go with her school like she used to go down to the coast with her school for day trips. She told me that she liked the

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program Deal or no Deal and Countdown. I was told and Emma was told that about 5 o’clock in the morning she put peanuts on the TV times and she chucked them out of the window to feed all the birds. She puts them on the TV times because the window only opens so far. On the wall was a knitted Frankie Dettori that her friend knitted Emma. On the wall near the door was a clock that she said her friend had given her and that her friend had died and that she would not part with it. Craig. I think the negative points were that because it was only our first visit we were all quite nervous and didn’t know how to start the conversation. We can improve this by more experience, practice and getting to know the person. Ruth.On week 1 we were all really nervous about going to Kingfisher House and speaking to the residents. But we soon got used to it and relaxed me and Zoe started by making the tea and coffee. We then had to go around all the rooms and see if they wanted a drink or a biscuit we had to make sure we knocked on their room door before entering because they found it rude otherwise because that is like their house, it’s all they have. Once we had served all the tea we went to the lounge and joined in the conversation with lots of other people, and found out that when they play bingo they win prizes like chocolate or talcum powder and they think they are really good. We also talked to a lady who couldn’t remember much e.g. when Ryan asked her how old her daughter Beverley was she said 13 when someone else asked her, she said 20 and when we asked her she said 30. Also when they were talking about what time they go to bed one lady said about 8.30 and another one said oh no, no way she said I go to bed at past 12.00. Ruth R

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Kingfisher House Residential Home

Scaltback Middle School Community program WEEK 2

.Use your photograph to initiate a discussion. Tell us how it goes?I showed my photographs and it helped me to start a conversation. Luke. When we got there we showed pictures to help a conversation get going. Everyone said I was a little poser. Robert D showed us his pictures and then he asked us about our photographs and that got the conversation going. Sophie. I showed a picture of me in America and that sparked a whole new conversation. Sarah. It went really well it helps more because you know what to talk about. Ross. All the residents enjoyed seeing our photos and all conversations we use it for went well. It went well, it helped me to start a conversation better. Evie. I showed the photos to Doris and Betty and was then able to start a conversation about me as a young child, going on to say what they did as a child. Unfortunately, Doris still didn’t recognize me. It went well because it gave us something to talk about. Rachel.

Get to know one resident as well as you can. What can you find out about that person?One of the residents I met was Ella. Ella has poor eyesight so uses a magnifying glass to help her. Ella told us she loves doing house work and that she used to work for a millionaire. She also used to run her own café which she enjoyed very much. She told us about her grandson who has just turned 5 and that she bought him a soft toy bear for his birthday. She has a photograph of him cuddling the bear in her home. Ella was lovely to talk and listen to. From my visit I learnt that elderly people like talking about their past, their family and what they do now on a daily basis. It was clear that they enjoy the company of younger people as well as people their own age. The negative point from my visit is that it can be difficult to try and change the subject of conversation if I am losing interest. I don’t want to appear rude so it would be a good idea for me to practice ways of changing the topic. – Charlotte C.

One of the residents I met was a lady called Betty. Betty is disabled and therefore doesn’t get out very much so is most of the time indoors at Kingfisher House. Betty told us about her family and said that she has six grandchildren, some great grand children and I think that she said she had two brothers. Back when Betty was

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younger she used to be a dress maker which she said she enjoyed very much. Another resident I met was called Irene. Irene is blind and is unable to see. However, it doesn’t bother her in any way. When we were talking to Irene we asked her about her family and we found out that she doesn’t have any brothers or sisters. Irene also told us that she didn’t play cricket or football but loved to sit and watch people play it. Irene has two sisters who live up in Yorkshire and they sometimes come and visit her as she is unable to go and visit them herself - Charlotte C.

Their past. Do residents remember particular dates?When England won the World Cup in 66 she cried because she was so happy – Jay Preston

Their names. Is there a difference between ournames today and the names of the residents?Albert Doris Rosemary Albert Ella Betty Margaret Ivy Margaret Frieda. Katherine

Their family? Is there a difference you have heard in the size of families in times gone past?His dad was in the army. Kelly.Husband dead. 10 Brothers and sisters dead, two children of her own and one grandchild. Ryan. Rupert (Husband), 2 sons, 1 daughter. Kyle.Her husband is dead and she has 2 children and 6 grandchildren Reno.Albert had a wife who died unfortunately. He also has a son and a daughter and he now has 6 grandchildren. Brother was a chauffeur for someone famous. Zoe M.Husband, children and grandchildren. Ruth R2 daughters – Beth HHer husband died 16 years agoShe had 15 aunties and uncles and grandchildren and her great granddaughter is 17. 1 of 11 children. She nursed in the first and second world warsLooked after her Dad and Mum until they died. Had twin sisters No brothers, one of them died. Ross. She showed me a picture of her son but I don’t know if she had any other family (daughters or more sons). Richenda.2 grandchildren. Elliott. 2 grandchildren (I think), Mum and Dad. Evie.A sister- in- law, a granddaughter. Wife, 3 children (2 girls, 1 boy), 2 grandchildren (1 boy, 1 girl). Rachel.

Books Are particular books favourites with residents?Dogs and animals especially an Alsatians.Flowers, people, TV and some fish books.

Their interests. Are the interests the same as members of your family?Sitting down, talking – Aaron.Sewing ane weaving. Ryan.

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Birds and horses. Kyle.Watching Countdown – Reno.Horses, horse riding – Zoe M.Playing bingo, karaoke, going for walks – Ruth RShe likes flowers and likes to read. She also likes owls. She likes to sew and knit. She likes the seaside. Horse racing. Ross. Horses. Tanya.Horse racing. Ross. Horses (pictures from wall). Richenda.Watching The Sound of Music and gardening. Richard. Loves to look at pictures and paintings. Rachel.

Their past. What are the particular subjects of which residents have a memory?He was in the army. Kelly. He was born in the 1st World War. Abigail.Mum and Dad run post office, grew up in a post office. Ryan.Head teacher - Craig. He lived in Wells then he moved to Bristol and lived there for 50 years. Then because his son was worried about Albert living on his own in Bristol so he moved into a block of flats for retired people. Unfortunately his health got worse so he moved into Kingfisher and his son and friends come to visit him. I am glad I did visit him because he is really a nice person and we had a good conversation Zoe.Their work. Headteacher at Newmarket College.Army. Kelly. In the army. Abigail.Post lady – Ryan. Working in a factory – Reno.Used to work in a shop – Zoe M.Married to this man but he died in the house – Zoe M.Used to go on lots of cruises (Queen Mary 2). – Ruth RShe had a sister and was a housewife.She left school at 12 and didn’t really have a job but her Mum and Dad ran a post office. Work with horses. Ross. Looking after young children. Richard.Got married during the war. Rachel. She went skiing with her family.House keeping and nursingThey have always owned an animal Doris ran away from home when younger. Her husband used to dance for her when he came to see her.Work with horses. Ross. Looking after young children. Richard.Got married during the war. Rachel. She went skiing with her family. Tanya.

Their work. Is there a difference between the professions of today and the professions and jobs of residents?Mum was ill when Ivy left school so she was expected to work from home.She never worked, just looked after Dad until he died.Doris looked after her children and worked as a dentist nurse.

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Horses. Ross. Betty used to own her own bar. Elliott and Evie.A nurse during the war. Richard.Her favourite job was when she worked at a restaurant cooking – Jay PAlbert he worked in a post office all his life and his son got a Masters in college so he could get a good job. – Aaron. Betty was a dress maker and also went to university to study art. – Kelly.

What else. What other significant things came up in conversation with the residents?He lived in Berlin. Abigail.She has been in the home for a couple of months. Ryan.Wasn’t allowed pets when she was younger – Zoe M.Used to have a room upstairs which was nicer – Ruth R.On week 2 we started by going and talking to a lady called Betty and she kept offering us food all the way through, first she said do you want some crisps then a drink she said we could have a bottle of beer then sweets then she wouldn’t let us leave without taking a packet of soothers. Zoe said to her you look very pretty in you picture which was of her and her husband on a cruise and she just slapped Zoe round the arms and said what so I don’t look nice now?!! She also was talking about her room upstairs and how she liked it more but then said well I don’t want to talk about that because my husband used to be up there but he is dead now and she got quite emotional. But then just offered us some more sweets. We found out that she has lots of grandchildren and children and some of her grandchildren just got married and she had pictures up of the wedding. After talking to her we went to talk to 2 ladies in the lounge one was called Joyce the other Irene, Irene was blind and if we asked her a question like how was your day today she would say, “Well I don’t know because I’m blind.” She told us about her usual day which was very simple she said it was wake up, nurse helps her get dressed, have breakfast sit in her chair in the lounge, have lunch, sit in her chair again, have tea and then go to bed. Irene said her day was very boring because she was blind. She also said we had to come back next week and tell her all about school. Ruth R She also likes squirrels – Beth HIvy lived in CheveleyMargaret was 92 and born in a village near Newmarket. Her family were mostly born in America but she never went there.She had pictures on her wall of her grandson and granddaughter. She told me that her granddaughter had graduated. Richenda.When she first moved in her husband moved in with her but sadly he died a few years after. Elliott. She and her husband both went to Kingfisher House, but when her husband was in there sadly he died. Evie.At his wedding he had his friends hold up oars as an arch because he did rowing. Rachel. She gave up chocolate. Kieran.

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The photographs really helped us to speak to the residents and we had a good laugh at some times. Kieran.Using my photos helped me to start a conversation. Abigail.Rosemary thought my mum looks really young and my sister looks cute. Kyle. She had pictures on her wall of her grandson and granddaughter. She told me that her granddaughter had graduated. Richenda.It went well showing them the photos of my money. Ivy Smiths Dad had a serious injury and Ivy nursed both her Mum and her Dad. She did this until her Mum and Dad died. During the war she got evacuated to Harlow also during the war she unfortunately lost her brother – he was a sailor and she lived in London – Jay PI saw a collection of photos. Angel R.

We are doing a craft activity this week. What do we have to be careful about when working with a resident?Using scissors when cutting – William GodfreyWe must do the work while the residents help us - Chelsey

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Kingfisher House Residential Home

Scaltback Middle School Community program WEEK 3This week we will meet the residents and learn how to share games including BINGO with them.Time is a really important element of life in the home. How is time managed in Kingfisher House?The residents don’t have a lot to do because of the elderliness of the residents. They like playing games. When we come down we try to make them laugh! Robert When they wake up they usually watch Countdown – a TV programme. Then they have dinner and then they watch TV and go to bed. Sophie.They play many different games such as bingo, scrabble and cards which helps pass the time. Abigail.

Describe a day in the life of a resident.Residents get up to wash, go for breakfast then watch TV or do other things such as clean rooms or play games. Luke. In a day the residents will wake up and have a cup of tea and talk to other residents. They may watch TV or stay in bed. Throughout the day they start to get tired so most of them go to sleep. Some days they have quizzes or play scrabble. I think the other interests of the residents are well cared for. I think the carers try their best to please the residents and give up some of their time to keep the residents happy and healthy. Sophie. Well it’s different for every resident. Some will stray in bed, others will have activities. Some people will do reminiscing. Sarah. Wake up, have tea and biccies! Ryan Wake up, have a wash, breakfast, then do what they want. Ross.Well today (23rd February) it was good because I got to know the people and we also did a quiz. Lucy. Residents at Kingfisher House can enjoy a day as much as we do. Rooms have a TV. They have a lounge, a dining area which is used to play games in, as well as a seat (used for all Kingfisher residents). Richenda. They said they hardly done anything that day! They got up, had breakfast, watched TV, had lunch watched TV. Elliott.Many of the residents like reading, watching films like “The Sound of Music”, watching Countdown, playing games like BINGO and quizzes. Richard.They sit down have breakfast, lunch and dinner then they play games and stuff. – Aaron. Also afterwards they would play bingo; they would have breakfast then sit down and then have dinner. Kelly.

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Have breakfast, talk or watch TV (Countdown), lunch, play a game or watch TV, tea, watch TV, go to bed. Abigail. An early wake up call for breakfast then you can play board games, watch TV or go down town with a helper then it’s lunch next you can play bingo or some board games, then tea time and on to another day at the home. Ryan. She said her most special day was marrying her husband. Reno.Wakes up, gets dressed, has breakfast, watches TV, lunch, watch tv or plays games, have dinner and go to bed – Zoe M. A daily life for a resident would be:-Morning – they would have breakfast either a plate of bacon, eggs, beans and fried bread or they could have cereal or if they wanted they were sometimes allowed both.Afternoon – at 1 o’clock they had a roast with a choice of different meats depending on what they wanted.Afternoon – sometimes some of the residents go out either for a walk or took out by one of the workers.Evening – at about 3 – 4 o’clock the ladies would go round with the trolley giving the residents a choice of tea, coffee, juice and a biscuit.Sometimes the residents go out to places like the Cherry Tree, town just for a walk down the road. But whatever it may be the residents enjoy doing it. Down in the dining room the residents play bingo to try and win presents which could be either toiletries or sweets and chocolate - Charlotte C. On week 3 everyone played bingo and it was really good fun. To start with we had to sit next to a person or a couple of people and help them out if they couldn’t find a number or cannot hear very well. I was next to a lady called Josephine and she couldn’t see her board very well so I had to tell her which numbers to cross off. The other lady next to me won a full house and she got a bar of soap. Tights, deodorant or chocolate were some of the other prizes. A bit later on we were allowed to join in and we all got a board each. Ryan won four corners and got a packet of sweets but no one else got anything. We all finished off by going and seeing Irene and Olive because we had promised we would come back we only had about 5 minutes with her so she said “You had to come and see me again next week.” We also found out that if there is more than 1 person with a certain name they will call them 1, 2, 3 e.g. they have a Betty 1, a Betty 2, and a Betty 3. Ruth R.Wake up, have a wash, breakfast, then do what they want. Ross.Well today (23rd February) it was good because I got to know the people and we also did a quiz. Lucy.Many of the residents like reading, watching films like “The Sound of Music”, watching Countdown, playing games like BINGO and quizzes. Richard.In the day of a resident at Kingfisher House they don’t get to do much, they play games and sometimes let them do a bit of cooking. They play games like bingo and scrabble. They also do gardening. Rachel. They play a lot of games, watch TV and sleep. Tanya. A day at the home to me was very interesting. I liked it because all the people there are very nice and there is a lot of entertainment

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(but most of all there is a TV). Yes, they love TV especially Countdown.Sleeping, breakfast, activities e.g. TV, seeing visitors, lunch, activities e.g. socialising, dinner, tv, sleeping – William GThey get up have breakfast, watch TV and go round the house have lunch, watch TV, have dinner and go to bed. Daniel R Lay in bed – play games - watch TV – set times to get up and have breakfast - ChelseyA day for a resident is pretty normal – they speak to loved ones, they watch TV and play games – Jay PThey play Bingo, they do quizzes and they go in the garden – Angel RIt must be a bit boring because you know all the people there and you have played all the games. Kira S Find out all you can about the activities that go on to entertain residents?Bingo, scrabble and cards. Aaron. They play bingo, scrabble and watch Countdown. Kelly. They play card games (Whist) also they play bingo and scrabble. Abigail. Bingo, eating sweets, scrabble, going to town, watching TV (watching a movie). Ryan. The residents enjoy scrabble and bingo as we played today. They also play dominoes. Kyle. The residents’ best activity is bingo. Craig.Countdown, bingo and cards etc. Reno.Lots of activity goes on to entertain the residents like they have had owls visiting. Dances and singing they also like playing bingo and whist. Zoe.Bingo, scrabble or a film on TV. Zoe M.Parties for birthdays, bingo and scrabble. Ruth R.They play bingo and they have things like raffles. Beth H.In the day of a resident at Kingfisher House they don’t get to do much, they play games and sometimes let them do a bit of cooking. They play games like bingo and scrabble. They also do gardening. Rachel. They play a lot of games, watch TV and sleep. Tanya. The residents at this house play bingo. Lucy.Bingo – Quiz. Available for residents. They have big boards so those who can’t see very well can join in as well. Richenda. Residents have lots of activities like bingo, quizzes and more. Elliott. They have quizzes. They play bingo and scrabble and some other games. Evie. There are many quizzes, games and books which provide activities. There is a garden for the residents as well. Richard. To entertain the residents they have bingo every Tuesday and people go in to play other things and help them. Rachel. Bingo, TV, fish, more games. Tanya. They play bingo and love to watch Countdown. Kieran.Parties for birthdays, bingo and scrabble. Ruth RThey can go out and do what they want. Ross.

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If a resident has family they can come and visit them and take them out for the day. Richenda.There is a wide variety of books and videos to watch and read. Elliott.There are a variety of books and videos to read and watch. Richard.Nurses or visitors go in to help and make most things that residents are interested in able to happen. Rachel. They could have family to take them out. Tanya.Every person has their own TV. Kieran.Scaltback come and loved ones come and play games. William GTV, chatting and visits. Daniel R.People go in to sing and play instruments for them. Chelsey.They play Bingo and a range of other board games. Jay PBingo – quizzes- Angel RedmanThey have to talk loud and clearly so they can understand you. Kira S

How are the other interests of residents catered for? The chefs in the kitchen prepare food for the residents. Luke When they are in need, someone is there. When they want something within reason, they get if for them. Ryan. They have clubs each week or they can just watch TV. Kyle.The residents can do what they want either stay in their room, socialise with other residents in the lounge or join in with house activities, also visitors are allowed at any time. Beth H.They don’t have proper glasses but they have baby bottles – William GWhen people from Scaltback come, residents get to do new, different activities. Daniel R.The nurses help the residents with their interests. ChelseyFor simple things like drinks they have cups with lids on them and handles so they will not spill any. Jay P.The carers help the residents. Angel R.

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Kingfisher House Residential Home

Scaltback Middle School Community program WEEK 4 This week we will meet the residents and learn how to listen and record their memories and stories.How are residents made to feel that this is their home?The carers keep the rooms very clean, like it was their house which is really sad because it is and they will be in one little room for the rest of their lives. Sarah. Their rooms have front doors and they can go where they want round the house. Abigail. They make the door look like a real front door. The rooms are set out like a house without walls, like they have a bed then a coffee table and a chair for people who come over to sit in.

How do residents manage their rooms? They can have their rooms like they want and can personalise them by putting in bits of their own furniture and any ornaments or furniture from their previous homes. Luke. Because the rooms are a fairly good size, some of the residents have zimmer frames or wheelchairs. Sophie They manage their rooms in a very tidy way to make them personal. Ryan. Some residents need help in keeping their rooms tidy. DemiThey put their own pictures in them. Ross. They have pictures up in their room. They have a coloured room and they have to find their colour room. Lucy. Their rooms are like their house – it’s their personal space. I learnt that you had to treat it like a normal home. Richenda. They have their own front door. They keep all of their own property in there and can make it their home. Elliott.They have their own door and it has their own door. It is like their home. Evie. They often decorate them with pictures. They sometimes have some flowers as well as some painted pictures (either of them or something else). Richard. They all have their personal belongings in their room and I think they would be happy to clean it because they can get busy. Rachel. They have their own room which is meant to be their home. They paint their doors and put their own furniture in their rooms. Tanya.They keep them very clean and tidy. Kieran.They have a front door and a little room with a bed. Aaron. By putting the doors of their rooms like their old front doors, they make them feel like home. Kelly.

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In their rooms, there is a front door, inside they have many photos. Abigail. They keep them tidy. Reno.Tidy, have their photos everywhere, have all their furniture in it – Zoe M.The residents manage their rooms like it’s their home to us it may just look like an ordinary room but to them it’s so much more. Inside their home they have their own special personal items, however, the most popular one of them all is the photographs. Their photographs are mainly of their family. The reason why I think that they are mostly of their family is because now that they are living on their own they don’t get a lot of company so if they’ve got the photographs it may make them feel like they are all with them instead of them feeling like they are on their own. What worries me if I had to work in a care home like Kingfisher House is that if one of the residents fell or something happened to them I would be scared and worried if I didn’t know what to do. Charlotte C.They don’t have too many things, staff and nurses will help them tidy it. Ruth R.

What sorts of personal items do you notice in the rooms?Flowers and pictures. Luke I noticed pictures of family, old houses or old pets. Sophie I see picture so things like motorbikes and things form past holidays and many pictures of family. Sarah Photographs, ornaments and paintings. Ryan I noticed pictures of family and close friends. Some had a lot of jewellery! Demi.Pictures, ornaments. Ross. Photos. Lucy. Photos. Bo.Postcards, ornaments etc. (what they are interested in). Richenda.Pictures and photographs of friends and family. Elliott.They have photos of family and old teddy bears. Evie.There are pictures of them and their family, often from when they were young but some from recent times. Richard. I noticed they have photos, statues, the videos they like and most rooms have flowers. Rachel. Ornaments, pictures, clothes, chairs. Tanya. Photos of family. Kieran.The door and pictures. Aaron. Old pictures of when they were young. In the rooms some people have photos and cards and little presents that people give them. Zoe.Betty had lots of paintings in her room that her daughter had painted, her daughter is an artist. Beth H.Flowers and photos. William G.Lots of pictures. Daniel R.Photos, art work from when they were younger, things we make for them they keep in their room - ornaments. Chelsey.Pictures, teddy bears, portraits and paintings. Jay PPictures, ornaments and souvenirs. Angel RThey have photos of people and some teddies. Kira S.

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What role do visitors play in keeping residents active?We make their day. Robert I think the role visitor’s play is very big because when we talk to residents and play games they join in. Sophie Well I think it helps to play a few fun games as it helps to jog resident’s memories of past things they loved. Sarah.We would hold quizzes, guess the tune and even scrabble. Ryan.Play bingo and games with us. Ross. When you play the quiz you have to make out you don’t know it so they tell you. Lucy. When you play you have to make out you don’t know then they tell you the quiz. Bo. Taking them out. Betty often goes out with the family. Richenda. Getting them to play quizzes or bingo, getting them to tell you stories. Elliott. We have to talk to them and be friendly. Evie. They get them to play games and tell stories, plus they can get them to do things such as gardening. Richard. They talk and make sure they have what they need to keep residents happy and active. Rachel. Playing games. Tanya.You have to act like a “friend”. Kieran.Play bingo and games with us. Ross. They make them feel happy like “Hello” and give them stimulation. William GThey keep the residents occupied and happy. Daniel R.Visitors break up the day by talking and playing games. Chelsey H.They play games with them, take them for a walk maybe and talk to them. Jay P.Talking, entertainment and helping them do stuff. Angel R.They talk to them and make them feel at home. Kira S.

Tell a story that you heard from a resident of Kingfisher House. Make it as detailed as you can. Remember you are recording real living history. Think of the things that you need to be careful of when recording people’s stories.

One of the other residents told us a story. It was about this person going on a quest. He had to speak to God to ask how to find his goal. He was told to continue in a straight path and that when he reaches the end, he would know. In the end he found a great treasure. I think this story was meant to say that you should keep going and never give up. Richard.

A resident called Douglas was born in 1921 near Ipswich. He moved to Cambridge at a young age because of his dad’s work. Douglas worked for the co-op. He was going to quit if he didn’t get a promotion in two years. He got one after a year. He then left for the army and went all around the world. He came back after two years to go on to retire at Kingfisher.

Doris was telling us when she was younger; she had to leave school because of the war. She went to work at a hospital where Kingfisher

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House is now. One girl would not go to sleep without Doris reading her a story and the hospital was full of people in beds.

Betty said her uncle was actually one of the 1960’s ashes winners and was in the papers and made a great fortune but he was a very selfish man.I met Frieda who was very chatty as well. I noticed she had a bag of chocolate éclairs hidden under her fruit. I think she was hiding them! I think her room looked very bare and pale. She needs to put things on her wall to make them more homely. She said that she didn’t know many people as they stayed in their rooms throughout the day. Demi.

Melissa lived next door to Betty. She seemed very happy to meet us. She said that not many people visit her. We showed her our pictures and she was very interested. She told us about herself. Demi.

I met a woman called Ivy She was really chatty. She asked me about my room being tidy. If I said it wasn’t she would give me a lecture! Only a friendly jokey one though! She recognised me whenever I was there. She was very alert and made me think. She looked like an owl. When an owl is alert with wide eyes, she looks like that. She is good at Countdown and likes reading. When I went in her room, she had her head in a book every time! Demi

I met a woman called Betty. She was the funniest lady I have ever met. She swore a couple of times but I know she didn’t mean to. She was really sweet and always joked around. When she gave us presents, I thought that was really nice. She looked really funny in the ugly mask and crown. Some people called her Queen Betty and she said she should have been queen. She was really happy when she won something in Bingo. She was so funny when she called sir and old b******* and poked him with a stick! I’d like to see her again in the future. Demi

I met a man called Douglas. He told us about how long he worked in the Co-Operative bank. He said he worked in there for 48 years. I was amazed. He showed us pictures of his old work and of him leaving. He recognised me on the last day I’d seen him just over a week before and he still remembered me. I loved playing bingo with him. He was so happy when he won a prize. He told us about his grand-children. I liked him a lot because some men are grumpier than the women and usually don’t want to know you or talk to you. But Douglas went straight into the conversation and was interested in mine and Sophie’s pictures. Demi

Albert lived in Wells then moved to Bristol when his wife died. With his children, a girl and a boy, he lived in Bristol for 50 years. But his son was worried about him living alone plus his health wasn’t great, so he moved to a block of flats for retired people. But unfortunately his health got worse so his son and daughter said he should move to Kingfisher. – Zoe. On week 4 Ruth, Beth, Charlotte and I all went to

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see Irene and her friend. As we were talking to them Irene’s friend started watching the TV, we tried to get her attention but we didn’t know her name so Irene (who had forgotten it) had to ask her what her name was. When we finally did get her attention she couldn’t hear us because she is deaf and we said, “What is your name?” Then she replied, “Well I do a lot on weekends but not a lot on weekdays.” We wondered what she was talking about so we had to keep repeating ourselves until she understood us. Zoe M.

Week 4 was the last week for everyone and me, Charlotte, Beth and Zoe went up to see Irene and Olive because they keep asking us to come and see them each time we go up. They were really pleased that we had come back to see them, and just talked to us about school and homes. Irene said she had 2 sisters which were 30 and 31. Which I can’t really believe because she is about 80 herself. It was really funny because both of them got into a kind of argument because Olive was watching television and we were trying to ask her a question but she couldn’t hear us so we asked Irene what her name was and she said oooooooo I don’t know. When we had finally got her attention Irene said “What’s your name?” and she said “Yes. I do that a lot on Thursdays!” so Irene asked her again and she mumbled something else and then said “Your name is Irene”. So we said it again and she finally said “My name is Olive”. We then went on to see another lady called Betty B. Betty had a friend with her (never found out her name). She told us this story……… It was World War 2. When she was about 8 she was walking home from school for about 2 miles and there was German and English bomber planes fighting in the sky and a German bomber got shot down and she saw it and told everyone at school. She then offered us a chocolate and we all had one. She told us she used to bike to school and I said so did I until by bike got stolen. And they were like oooooooooohhhhhhhhh and said that’s so bad. Ruth R.

Betty said that at school she got in trouble for things like dotted paper (inkwells) and that they used to get the cane. William GWhen I spoke to Violet she talked about her grandson who comes down every week. Chelsey HWhen Betty was our age she was badly behaved at school. Angel R.

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Kingfisher House Residential Home

Scaltback Middle School Community program WEEK 5.Report to us all how you have reacted to your community work challenge.What advice would you pass on to other young visitors to Kingfisher House?I would say be confident at meeting new people because residents love people visiting them. SophieBe confident and just ask how they are. Elliott. I would say make sure you have thought of things to say because it’s uncomfortable when it’s quiet. Rachel.Keep talking to them – Kelly.

How do visitors start conversations?We say hello and say how are you and talk about our day. Luke They usually invite you into their rooms and ask you your names. SophieLook around their room. Ross. Well you ask if they can talk. Lucy.Well you ask if they can talk. You go in and try. Bo.Say, hello, ask them how they are and what they’ve been up to today. Richenda. By saying hello and asking what they’ve been up to. Elliott.Say, hello and say how are you, what have you been up to. Evie.Look for objects in the room that are particularly interesting (e.g. pictures, flowers, paintings). Richard. Visitors start by saying hello, telling them your name and checking if they want to talk to you. Rachel. By asking questions. Kieran.How did you get on at school today. Kelly.Ask how they’ve been and what they’ve been getting up to. Abigail. What is your name, where did you come from? RyanAsk about their pastimes or their hobbies. Kyle.They say what’s your name or Hi, are you ok. By pointing at pictures and explaining them. By asking us what we like doing – Zoe M. Visitors start conversations by using photographs around the room which are mainly photos of their family. You would then point to a person or people in the photograph and ask who it is and they would tell you. For example if it was his/her’s daughter you may ask if they had any children and so on. When you are joining in the activities with the residents you may find that some of them are slightly deaf, blind and unable to move things so you would have to

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help them so that they can join in and play the game as well. For example when we were playing bingo I had to help three lovely ladies all at the same time one was slightly deaf, one was mostly able to do it herself but sometimes needed help and the other one didn’t know her numbers very well. Charlotte C. How are you today? What is your name? What have you been up to today? - Ruth Reed.Saying hello and telling them something – William G.They usually ask you what you did over the week – Daniel R.You wouldn’t normally ask them about their day because it may upset them but could look at photos, paintings or cuddly toys to help you get started. Jay P. “Hello, how are you, what is your name?” Angel R.Say hello and how are you. Kira S.

What advice would you give about joining in activities with older residents?Don’t go too quick. Ross. Well you go in try and talk slowly and when Countdown is on they won’t talk to you. Lucy. Well you go in and try and talk slowly and when Countdown is on they won’t talk to you. Bo.Bingo – let them do it if they miss a number let them put it across just nicely point it out. Richenda. To encourage them. Evie. You should give them a little bit of help if they need it and to make sure they are enjoying it. Rachel.Don’t be shy, sit close to them. KieranBe nice and patient. – Aaron. Helping them do bingo. – Kelly.Make sure you keep talking and don’t give them too much help. Abigail.Talk slowly and clearly, always, smile and be patient. Ryan.To be slow and loud – Reno. Be nice and chatty, and don’t be afraid to go over and talk to a resident, they enjoy your company, but might have to sit and listen for a bit, and be like “oh yeah” that’s nice. Help them, but don’t do it for them. Talk clearly and slowly be polite – Zoe M.Look around their room. Ross. Well you ask if they can talk. Lucy.Well you ask if they can talk. Well you go in and try. Bo.Say, hello, ask them how they are and what they’ve been up to today. Richenda. By saying hello and asking what they’ve been up to. Elliott.Say, hello and say how are you, what have you been up to. Evie.Look for objects in the room that are particularly interesting (e.g. pictures, flowers, paintings). Richard. Visitors start by saying hello, telling them your name and checking if they want to talk to you. Rachel. By asking questions. Kieran.Don’t be scared. William G.Knock before entering, be polite and put the residents before yourselves. Jay P.Be calm and slow and speak loud and clear. Angel R. Speak loud and clear. Kira S.

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To talk slowly and to walk slowly. Luke I would say to play games because residents are very happy when you help them and talk to them. SophieBe confident and just ask how they are. Elliott. I would say make sure you have thought of things to say because it’s uncomfortable when it’s quiet. Rachel.Same as the first – they are human beings too. William G.You always have to keep a conversation with them. Daniel R.Ask politely what they are doing and ask if you can join in. Jay P.Say things loud and clear. Angel R.Help them hear what other people are saying. Kira S.

Why are manners so important when visiting Kingfisher House?So we make a good impression on school. Aaron.Manners are important. Kelly.Because they want to look forward to seeing you and think how polite you are. Abigail. Manners are important because the people there come from a time when manners were everything. Ryan.When you are old the manner rules could have been stricter. Kyle.Because old people like people with manners – Reno.Because it’s like you are coming to their home so you have to be nice and pleasant – Zoe. Because it’s nice and we are in their home. Ross. As some of the residents do forget some things, you should always use manners as that is what the residents will hear and use. Richard. Manners are important because of how the residents grew up. They were taught to have good manners. Rachel. Because some residents don’t like rude people. Kieran.So that we don’t get a bad reputation and so they will be nice back- Zoe M.Don’t be shy, sit close to them. Kieran.Kingfisher House is like a block of houses in one. When you go round someone’s you would not use manners so you have to treat it as if it was someone’s home. Richenda. Because they can get very upset if you’re not polite. Evie. As some of the residents do forget some things, you should always use manners as that is what the residents will hear and use. Richard. Manners are important because of how the residents grew up. They were taught to have good manners. Rachel. When they were younger they were taught to respect their elders so do we. William G.Manners are important because you’re not only representing yourself - you are representing your school. Daniel R.So that you do not upset the residents or any one. Jay P.Represent our school in a good way – Angel Redman Manners at Kingfisher House are so important because it’s like when someone comes round your house you wouldn’t want them to just walk straight in. Well it’s the same as going into their room. It may just look like a room to use but to them it’s their home. You also have to remember your pleases and thank you’s otherwise they

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won’t want you to visit them because if you’re not polite you would appear rude to them. Charlotte C

How do we need to talk to the residents?I felt a bit scared when I first walked in but now I could go in any day and go and see them and not feel scared. Richenda. The best relationship I made was with a lady called Betty. She is very nice. She is very funny and fun to be with. Me and Connor once fed the birds and squirrels with peanuts out of the window. So did Betty. Betty is a nice caring person and I’m glad I got to know her!! Evie. I met Doris C, my old neighbour, at Kingfisher House. Although she didn’t actually remember me (I took a photo of me when I was younger), we did talk about a variety of things. Richard.My best relationship was with Douglas because we went to see him every week and we shared our photos. Douglas told us about his wedding and his family and we told him about school. Rachel. The relationship built up with Rosemary was a very nice one. Because we could sit down and have a nice chat. I felt a bit scared when I first walked in but now I could go in any day and go and see them and not feel scared. Richenda.

Describe the best relationship you built in your visits to Kingfisher House.My best relationship was with Betty. Luke The best relationship I had was with Douglas. People thought he was moody but I thought he was really nice, once you got to know him. Sophie.Rosemary. We always went to see her when we could. Ross.The best relationship I had was with Betty. Lucy. The best relationship I had was with Betty. Bo. With Betty talking and she always offers money and she is funny. Aaron.When I was playing bingo with Winnie and we won twice. Abigail. My best relationship was with Doris because in just about 60 minutes I found out mainly all her family life. Ryan.How to be polite to old people. Reno.For the last week, we went to Kingfisher House and gave them a present (Easter Egg) and a card. After that the teachers and all the 8 students, that went to Kingfisher House went to Burger King for a treat and we got filmed. The filming was all about what we enjoyed and what we learnt from the older residents at the house. Zoe M. My best relationship from my visits to Kingfisher House was probably Irene because she seemed to really like us and wants us to keep visiting. – Ruth R.On the last week of our Kingfisher House visit we went down to the house and took them a card, flowers and an Easter Egg. When we had said goodbye we went to Burger King. After we had had our meal, Sir filmed us talking about Kingfisher House and I had to describe a day in the life of a resident. I chose Irene who we visited most weeks, and I got chosen to go back on the first week of the next lot and kind of show them what to do and things. Ruth R. Rosemary. We always went to see her when we could. Ross.

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With Betty 2 – she is very kind and always says “hello”. – William G.I liked chatting with Freida about what we were looking forward to. Daniel R.Even though I only met him twice I would say the best relationship built was with John H, unlike some of the residents I could understand him well and relate to his interests Jay P.Betty, Freda and Violet because they were very talkative. Angel R.

When I first went to kingfisher I was a bit nervous because you would walk down the corridor and they would look at you but you would just instantly think that they must be lonely and you would walk into someone's room and you wouldn’t know what to expect. Me and Zoe went into one room and there was a lady in there watching CBBC. At First I was a bit worried wondering what her reaction would be. At first she was telling us to speak louder so we walked a bit closer and then was asking her about her photos which were of her grandchild who lives in Australia. On the first week we looked around. On the second week we did art and craft with the residents. We had to help them to put the gloves on and then we painted a photo frame of our fingerprints, this was really fun because you got to interact with the residents and see how good they were at art. On the third week we did a quiz, We got split up into different groups of people to answer the questions, Some of the people there were good at answering the questions but some of them didn’t have a clue. On the fourth week we played bingo they all liked playing that because it gets them all together. The residents had a place where they could get their hair and nails done it looked really nice because it was somewhere they would have gone when they weren’t there, it made them feel much younger and they'd think they were beautiful. I really enjoyed going to Kingfisher because when I first went, I was really nervous and if I go again then I know what to expect and I will be more open in my opinion. When you have finished your four weeks at kingfisher you go to Burger King, you have your meal and then you have a video about what you done and what you learned.I felt that the best relationship I built when visiting Kingfisher House would be learning how to stop and start conversations with residents. Charlotte C.By Jess E Year 8

When I first signed up to Kingfisher I was worried about the people at Kingfisher, if they would like me or reject my company. As soon as the first few groups went, I was reassured that it was nothing to be worried about, that it was natural to feel worried and a bit scared. When we arrived and I saw the some residents, I was not as worried as I was expecting. But I was still a little worried and we entered the building and Mr. Simington explained how to handle the residents and I understood what to do and why we do the thing we should do. Then we toured Kingfisher and then my favorite bit came meeting the residents. First, we looked around till we plucked up the courage to

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say hello to one of the residents, when we did, it was a little hard to speak, like there was something holding me back but Catherine help with the conversation with asking us questions and got us wondering what she does daily. But soon we moved on and meet Betty and Freida. They where inseparable and when I asked one of the carers they knew where she was straight away and said "Freidas room" like she lives there. When we knocked on Freida’s door they invited us in with open arms and talked to us. But time flew by and we found out many things about Freida and Betty’s families and how they loved to play games, like bingo and scrabble. At ten to 5pm, we left before handing out leaflets. Second trip and we finger painted which was fun but my partner didn't wanna to get dirty but we had a good conversation and she told me about how she loved to see people. She was a very nice person but very soon time went and week 3 came and we played bingo which was great me and my partner Betty 3, the other Betty (I think)! told me about her son was a rugby player like me and how she used to play bowling and said she was very worried every time her son got tackled worried if he got hurt. She traveled from the Isle of Wight to Scotland to play bowls that she was a great player. Forth week and we went to burger king what was  good fun but I couldn't find my Kingfisher file but, I still went and we had a good time and Corey and I were interviewed by Mr S and I told them about how sensitive the residents are and how Betty and Freida have such a strong friendship. How they knew a lot about each other how they stay together and I think you need that when you in that sort of situation. I very much enjoyed my experience at king fisher and meeting all the lovely residents there and learning about their histories and families. It is a great social gathering I feel where I couldn't remember all the people I meet only by their faces.Daniel B Year 8 

Stella has grandchildren and a son. They like to go walking dogs and going on the beach. They all had a lot of animals as a family. Her son Martin, bought Stella a stick with lots of flowers on it. Stella walked her dog on the beach and let it go in the water and her own mother said why did you do that and shouted at her. Stella likes visitors because they like to talk to them.Zoe G Year 8 Summer 2009

What did your parents say about this project?I feel it has given Sophie an understanding of older people and that they have memories to share and that older members of the community should be given a great deal of respect. Sophie’s parents.

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