It was the luck of the Irish for residents at Arbor Village in Bedfordview when they were surprised with a St Patrick’s Day celebration on Wednesday last week.
“Our residents are the heart of Arbor Village and ensuring their physical and mental wellbeing remains our primary concern,” said Denise Stanton, manager at Methodist Homes Arbor Village.
“Following the past few months’ restrictions as part of our effort to counter the pandemic, we are keen to get our residents back to some form of normalcy. “What better way to celebrate than by surprising our residents with some St Patrick’s Day ‘funtivities’ while, of course, still adhering to Covid-19 safety protocols.”
Residents at Arbor Village love their music, and past St Patrick’s Day celebrations included sing-a-longs. “This year we decided that the village would again reverberate with music and singing,” said Denise.
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Smartly donned in green attire, Arbor Village staff hosted a tea party for mid-care residents outside under the trees. Not forgetting the frail care residents, fun games were organised by recreational coordinators within health and safety parameters.
“Our residents were treated with themed cupcakes decorated with a gold coin to symbolise the fabled pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. For us it symbolises the fact that we have reached level one of the lockdown,” added Denise.
The festivities were well received by the residents, and their smiles said it all. The Eden alternative philosophy, which is followed by all 15 Methodist Homes Retirement Villages, affirms that ‘care is not a one-way street, but rather a collaborative partnership’.
“We like to be spontaneous with our residents, and we take great personal joy out of surprising them. To see the happiness on their faces is so rewarding and encourages us to do even more.
“In true St Patrick’s Day fashion, we would like to wish all our residents ‘a pot o’ gold, and all the joy your heart can hold’,” said Denise.
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