Jubilee Court Hosts Community Event To Tackle Elderly Loneliness
Staff and residents at Jubilee Court care home in Stevenage spread some Christmas spirit as they hosted a free Christmas lunch for elderly people across Hertfordshire.
The event, hosted by Quantum Care, Hertfordshire’s largest care provider, was organised after staff learned that almost one million older people across the UK feel lonelier during Christmas, with many seeing it as ‘just another day’. Seeing first-hand how their own residents and day care clients benefit from organised activities during the festive period, they felt compelled to reach out to those elderly people who might miss out on a traditional Christmas dinner.
Quantum Care provided free transport for their guests of honour, who joined Jubilee Court residents for a traditional two course Christmas lunch before being treated to a carol concert. Guests shared stories about past Christmases with residents, before joining in with a festive sing-a-long.
Every guest also left with a special gift, with the local Tesco donating 23 goodie bags to guests – making sure that everyone had a present to open on Christmas morning.
Debbie Gilard, Head of Corporate Services at Quantum Care said:
“Loneliness is more obvious at this time of year but it is a recurring problem for many elderly people in the UK. That’s why it was so important for us to reach out to elderly people in our own community and show them that they are not alone. This event wasn’t just about offering people a free meal and a gift – through the Christmas lunch we were able to connect people who usually spend the majority of their time alone. I hope the friends they made today last beyond Christmas”.
Julie Oakley-Reid, Home Manager at Jubilee Court, said:
“It was wonderful watching our guests and residents have such a lovely time. Seeing their smiles and in some cases, tears, as they opened their Christmas gifts and met new friends made the whole event worth it. We’re looking forward to more events like this one in the future”.
