Golden Buzzers All Round For Orchards Got Talent!
As Dementia Action Week starts (May 13-19th) Orchard Care Homes has proved its residents have a breadth of skills that would put a TV talent show to shame!
Dementia Action Week is an awareness-raising campaign where individuals and organisations across the UK are encouraged to do their bit for those living with the diagnosis. This year the campaign focuses on dementia diagnosis and calls on the Government and the NHS to prioritise dementia in policy and decision-making.
Orchard Care Homes, which runs 23 homes in the north and Midlands, pointed out that so many of their residents are highly talented people with achievements and skills galore.
Orchard Care Homes takes great care those living with dementia are offered surroundings that reflect their past and what is familiar to them, and their skills are encouraged and utilised on a day-to-day basis through meaningful engagement and individual choice.
Here is a summary of how ‘Orchard’s Got Talent’:
Elizabeth Brown, 76. She moved into Cherry Trees Care Home in Rotherham in 2022 and has written her own poetry since she was a child. Even with her dementia diagnosis, she can remember every word of one of her childhood poems.
Gordon Hooley, 89, also lives at Cherry Trees. He is a poet, writer and singer and self-published a book covering 10 years of his childhood life. Taking time to get the content right, the book was bound and ready to be sold in 2009.
Alan Hardy lives at Lofthouse Grange and Lodge in Wakefield. He is the author of Queen Victoria Was Amused, published in 1976. A copy was eventually sent to King Charles for his review; the King liked the book hugely, saying it was so true to her. He invited Alan and his wife for an audience at Buckingham Palace – a memory he will cherish forever. King Charles’ review was also published within the book.
John Sykes, 85, also lives at Lofthouse Grange. He played professional rugby all his life for Bradford Bulls, Hunslet RLFC and later coached Leeds Rhinos in 1961-62.
Princess Baldwin, 70 lives at Castleford Lodge Care Home in Castleford. She is a first-class pianist and singer and is registered blind.
Joseph Lloyd, 80, also lives at Castleford Lodge. He is a qualified pilot and amazingly built his own aircraft in France.
Hayden Knight, CEO of Orchard Care Homes, said: “We are so proud of our residents and as we start Dementia Action Week, we felt it was important to tell everyone these are people who have lived and continue to live full, meaningful lives.
“They had and still have amazing skills and talents; we hope and believe that society will treat them as such. Certainly within Orchard Care Homes, we love and respect them dearly.”
Recent achievements for Orchard Care Homes include being named winner last year of the LaingBuisson Award for Excellence in Large Residential Care. It also received a five-star food rating at every home across its portfolio.
