Care Home Takes on 18 cafes in 18 Days Challenge to Help to Re-Integrate Residents into the Community After Lockdown

With COVID-19 preventing care homes from accessing local amenities, the residents and team members at Fairburn Mews launched an initiative to visit 18 cafes in 18 days, as a way to re-integrate with the community.

Residents and colleagues from the home, located on Wheldon Road, enjoyed sampling a selection of teas and cakes at cafes around the Castleford area, including Queens Mill Tearooms, The Hidden Tearoom, rivers MEET, Birkin Fisheries Tea Room, The Wrinkled Stocking and Stork Lodge Tea Room.

The initiative was an opportunity to provide a fun and relaxed way of reintroducing people back into the local community. As restrictions have eased, the team at Fairburn Mews found that whilst residents are excited to get back to doing to the things they love in the local community, some were worried about returning to activities that they haven’t done for the past few years.

Bev Blythe, activities team leader at the care home, said:

“During the pandemic, we were all limited in what we could do, and care home residents even more so. As things started to open up, some of our residents expressed that they were a bit nervous about going out into the local community again.

“We thought that this café challenge would be a fun way to build confidence and reintroduce people into the community.

“We’d like to say a big thank you to local cafes for making us feel so welcome.

Prior to the initiative, the staff and residents shared ideas for ways to reintegrate with the local community. Of the twenty residents at the home, eighteen took part in the challenge, and had a brilliant time re-exploring the local area.

One resident, Pat, said:“It’s so nice so be able to come outside again,” and another, Graham, said: “I feel better about going out now.”

Since the challenge, residents have been invited back to Queens Mill Tearooms to join their community jubilee baking challenge – and the home is out to win!

Mark Quarmby, Home Manager at Fairburn Mews, said:
“Our care focuses on supporting people to maximise their independence and build everyday living skills. We actively encourage people to develop and maintain their community connections, and it’s great that we’re able to support this again as restrictions ease.”