Fareham care home helps resident reconnect to their past

A local care home has helped grant a resident's wish to take a trip down memory lane.

When the team at Care UK’s Parker Meadows, on Parker View, learned that resident Nancy Mead wanted to revisit the church she and her children were married in – they knew they had to arrange a special day.

The team were able to get Nancy special permission to enter St. Ann’s Church within His Majesty’s Naval Base in Portsmouth. Nancy married her husband Michael in September 1945 and has fond memories of the day and during her visit, she sat in her favourite pew and enjoyed looking at the beautiful stained-glass windows of St. Michael. She said: “It felt like my Michael was looking down on me.”

To top off the day, Nancy took a boat ride around the harbour from Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. It brought back memories of when she was a keen sailor and went out to sea with Michael every weekend.

Nancy said: “It was a wonderful day!

Parker Meadows is not new to granting wishes; the care home has a Wishing Tree initiative that allows residents to suggest ideas for activities they would like to do, helping them to live fulfilling lives. From ziplining through mountains to a fish-and-chip supper, no wish is too big or too small.

Matthew Smith, General Manager at Parker Meadows, said: “At Parker Meadows, we encourage residents to lead fulfilling lives, whether that comes from helping out in the garden or taking a trip down memory lane.

“We love to support residents’ wellbeing with activities and trips that are important to them, especially those that encourage reminiscence. Activities that bring back happy memories are incredibly important for older people, as they can help maintain a sense of purpose and identity through reconnecting with their past achievements and experiences.  

“We want to say a big thank you to the team who worked incredibly hard to arrange such a fantastic day for Nancy.”

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Parker Meadows incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The home provides full-time residential care, nursing care, dementia care and respite care, in addition to independent living bungalows also on site. The layout of the building is configured into a series of individual suites, each having a dedicated lounge/dining room to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities.