Kingston House in Derry Hill, Calne, is reserving a very special seat at its dinner on 25 December for a local person who is feeling lonely or at risk of isolation during the festive season and winter months.
The home is reaching out to older neighbours and asking locals to suggest people who may want to join as a special guest for its Christmas dinner. The special guest will receive the ‘VIP’ treatment, with a freshly made festive meal and transport arranged to pick them up and return home. Where applicable, a family carer will also be invited to join, allowing both guests to thoroughly enjoy the day together surrounded by new friends and free of the worries and labour involved in prepping a festive meal or washing the dishes.
Winter can be a time of uncertainty and worry for many older people, especially those living alone, as well as their families. Recent Age UK research found that 52% of older people (8.5 million) were concerned or very concerned about winter, while 45% (7.4 million) worried that they would not be able to heat their home and 20% (3.3 million) were worried that they would not have enough to eat.
The initiative is part of a new England-wide campaign by the home’s not-for-profit operator Greensleeves Care. ‘Warmth of Care’ (#WarmthOfCare) aims to highlight the valuable contributions of communities of care such as care homes, particularly in the winter, and to offer support to more families exploring care during the cold season. The organisation is making available additional resources and special offers to help ease families’ care journeys this winter.
The ‘Warmth of Care' campaign has also been informed by the experiences of residents who moved to a Greensleeves Care home during winter. For Annie, (101), the winter months were increasingly difficult when she was living in her own home. She said: “I lived on my own for fifteen years after my husband passed away. I didn’t mind it so much in the summer, but the winters felt very long. With the cold weather and the dark afternoons, I wasn’t able to get out as much, and it was getting difficult to heat my house.
“My eyesight was also deteriorating, so there wasn’t a lot I was able to do at home to pass the time during the winter, such as reading or watching TV. I would look out of the window sometimes and think, ‘how lonely is this?’
“I’m very happy here. I have a big group of friends and haven’t felt lonely for a second. I’ve never known the time to pass so quickly.”
Catherine Beswick, Home Manager at Kingston House, said: “At a time of year that is centered around families and friends coming together to celebrate the season, it is easy to forget that for many people, winter can be incredibly isolating.
“We are proud to have a lovely and welcoming community of care at Kingston House and want to use the festive season to invite neighbors who might be struggling at this time of year to have a taste of that warmth too.
“If you, or someone you know, would enjoy being our special guest for Christmas Day, we’d love to hear from you. We can’t wait to welcome them to our home. ”
For more details of the special guest initiative, visit the home’s Facebook page or call the team on 01249 815 555.
