June | 2020 | THE FORBURY TIMES

RESIDENTS MEETING MINUTES

3^RD JUNE AT 2PM IN THE GALLERY OF HAPPINESS

Present at meeting

Residents: Sonia, Avril, Libby, Jean. P, Beryl, Jean. M, Mary, Alice, Gwen, Edna, Margaret, Wilson, Julian, Chris. L, Rita, Audrey, Lydia Muriel.

Staff Present at meeting

Meeting Led by Gen, Julie, Lucy, Viva, Sara.

Gen opened the meeting by welcoming everybody to the Residents Meeting, how lovely it was to have so many residents present.

Corona Virus Update

Gen was pleased to announce that all staff and residents tested for the virus were negative and that this was extremely good news and a testament to all staff and residents for following the rules and self-isolating where needed. A huge well done to all and lets keep up the good work and stay safe. Also discussed that the closure of the home to all outside visitors and entertainment remains in place due to the current Coronavirus outbreak. Thanked everyone for their continued hard work in complying with the restrictions and explained that we are having updates on the situation and the government will update changes as regularly as possible and we would keep residents informed of any changes in restrictions as we are informed. We are now allowed to sit in the garden area in the nice weather with a member of staff where needed and the area has been fully cleaned and will be cleaned after each use at least allowing residents to get some fresh air and enjoy the better weather. Those that have mobility scooters will be allowed to try them out in the garden/car park area only. No one is yet allowed to leave the home grounds. Residents will not need to wear masks when sitting outside but staff will continue to wear theirs.

Infection control and cleaning

The extra measures that have been taking place with cleaning and ensuring all surfaces, frames, furniture etc are cleaned continually, temperature checks on staff and residents every day, staff wearing masks so as to stop us bringing anything in from outside will continue for some time to come. Hand hygiene during this lockdown has been much improved and staff are encouraging and helping residents with this and it is very affective in stopping spread so again we would like to continue the good work in this area.

Garden Area has been fully cleaned and will be after any resident has sat out with staff.

Contacting our loved ones and friends

We have been staying in touch with our loved ones by letter writing, phone calls, video calls, waving and chatting through the windows. Staff have been helping residents where needed and we are trying to make everything as smooth as possible. Any support needed by residents to make contact is always available. We also this month sent home handprints to our loved ones with a covering Coronavirus update letter reminding them all how much they are loved and missed at this time.

Shopping

Our shopping remains the same at this time with no residents allowed into town. We still have plenty of stock of oral hygiene products, glasses wipes and hearing aid batteries if needed. If you need any other shopping you can either do it on line where possible, ask a relative or friend to get it and drop it off or speak to a staff member and we can organise to get it for you.

General and Activities

Tarik is back doing our feet and is abiding by all necessary prevention controls his next visit is on June 8^th, unfortunately no one else allowed at present to do feet. We are hoping that after the 4^th July our hairdresser will be able to come back as we miss her Muriel should at this time be able to ask her own hairdresser but we will keep you all updated. It may be possible after the 4^th July to have Paul Smith returning to do Holy Communion, but we will confirm when we can. Activities have been going well although we are all missing our external activities and people who come into see us. We are continuing to do lots of movement to music, singing, arts and crafts, cooking, quizzes, word games, skittles, ball games, puzzles, letter writing, memory sharing and hand hygiene and massage. We enjoyed a lovely coffee morning for VE day (Friday 8^th May) residents who joined enjoyed sharing memories and lovely cake made by the girls in the kitchen and watching the fly by on the TV. There will be no Summer fete this year due to the Virus, but we are hopeful to hold an Autumn one. We will hopefully be able to book a shopping trip for late in the year towards Christmas as an outing as again we have not been able to do anything over the spring summer. We are going to introduce Flower arranging once a week for those who wish to join and brighten up our areas with summer blooms. We would love to do more sing alongs and Julie is trying to get some new song sheets and cd’s to sing along to.

Saturday 12^th June (Queens Birthday) – we will celebrate with an afternoon traditional tea party in the Gallery of Happiness with old time music sing Happy Birthday for the Queen and sandwiches, nibbles, and cake. All residents are invited to join.

If anyone has any special occasion or event they would like to celebrate please let Julie Know and she will be happy to organise something you.

Meals and Drinks

During this Hot weather and the upcoming Summer months it is important that we stay hydrated drinks of Squash are always available and we have plenty of jugs if residents would like a jug in their room then please ask. Staff have been offering drinks and giving out ice creams when we can. Jelly and ice cream and fruit are all also good hydration food. Gen asked residents if they are still enjoying the meals and responses were incredibly positive. Residents said meals have been lovely and hot as well. Muriel requested that they had soup sometimes and others said they would still like to have some salads. Residents enjoying the fresh fruit at breakfast times and the little pots of jelly with custard or ice cream. The resident baking sessions are going well, and cakes are very enjoyable for teatime.

Any other business and thankyou’s

Gen said she would like to thank Mr. Lutton’s wife Christine for hanging baskets and planters that she is doing for the garden and it would be nice if we could do a thankyou card. Also thankyou to Barbara for the large crochet blanket she has done for the sale thankyou to viva for supplying all the wool for some beautiful cardigans to be knitted. Thankyou to Margaret for knitting the first cardigan for Evona’s daughter and now for doing the second one Barbara’s granddaughter. Also, a thank you to Ilza for supplying all the pretty buttons for the face masks.

Marius has been working hard on completing our lounge area and it is coming together well and will be a beautiful space to relax when it is finished. He hopes to have it completed very soon.

Residents asked if we could go back to Kleenex tissues if possible as the others are very thin and the thicker napkins as well. Also, residents said towels and flannels in the bedrooms in the mornings after they got up and dirty taken, they are not left clean ones. Gen said she will speak with domestic staff and leave a note in communication book.

Gen closed the meeting by thanking everyone for coming and expressing that if anyone had any concerns or worries about anything within the home that they can talk to herself or her deputy Ilza at any time or address it with a member of staff.

NEXT RESIDENTS MEETING TO BE HELD IN THE GALLERY OF HAPPINESS ON WEDNESDAY 8th JULY AT 2PM.