Woking care home residents celebrate Diwali

 

A care home in Woking marked the festival of light, Diwali, with an afternoon celebrating Hindu culture.

Residents at Care UK’s Greenview Hall, on Streets Heath, celebrated Diwali, the Hindu festival of light, with an Indian-inspired lunch and a special performance from team members.

As part of the celebrations, team members dressed in traditional Punjabi clothes to perform an Indian inspired dance routine for the residents to enjoy. 

Keen to dress for the occasion, residents tried on traditional Punjabi scarves and learned more about the history of the festival with a talk from the General Manager, Meera Govindapillai, while enjoying traditional Indian cuisine prepared by the Home’s Head Chef, Ajay, which included goat, chick pea, and seafood curry, saffron rice, desserts and Mango Lassi.

Commenting on the event, 78-year-old resident Anjanaben Patel, said: “It was a lovely afternoon, seeing my 3 grandchildren standing up there telling everyone what Diwali meant to them, then having my photo taken with them. I enjoyed all the dancing and was happy so many people dressed up for the occasion!” 

Meera Govindapillai, General Manager at Greenview Hall, said: “Everyone had a de-light-ful day celebrating Diwali, learning more about Indian traditions and trying various delicacies.

“At Greenview Hall, we are committed to ensuring the home is a welcoming and supportive place for everyone, where different cultures and interests are regularly celebrated through memorable activities which promote positive wellbeing.

“The team also had a fantastic time rehearsing and performing a traditional Indian dance – they even got some of the residents to join in!”

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Greenview Hall incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The home provides full-time residential care, nursing care, dementia care and short-term respite care. 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.