Social Activities, Hobbies and Leisure Interests

We try to make it possible for our residents to live their lives as fully as possible. In particular, we do the following:

• At Parc Vro, as part of our assessment process we aim to encourage potential residents to share with us as much information as possible about their social, cultural and leisure interests as a basis for helping them during their period of residence in the home.

• We employ an Activities Coordinator, who’s role is to assist residents to continue to enjoy as wide a range of individual and group activities and interests as possible both inside and outside Parc Vro. Also to carry on with existing hobbies, pursuits and relationships, and to explore new avenues and experiences. All residents are entitled to use the dining room, the communal lounge and other communal areas as well as the grounds of the home. However, residents who wish to remain in their rooms can. Residents are encouraged to personalise their own rooms with small items of furniture and other possessions and we will follow individual preferences in matters of decoration and furnishings.

• On a regular basis we have professional entertainers music and movement classes, a church service, a hairdresser and chiropodist. The home provides a large screen High Definition Television , large print books, a wide variety of music and DVD’s,  and games, puzzles and crafts which are readily available. At the request of a resident or a family member we hold celebrations i.e. birthdays etc. We hold annual activities such as Christmas parties, Pantomime, summer BBQ’s, Easter hot cross bun afternoons, Pancake Day and strawberry tea. We maintain strong links with the community and enjoy visits from the local school at harvest fair and Christmas.  Residents can also purchase toiletries, confectionary, stamps etc. from Parc Vro’s shop. Residents are assisted in baking if they wish. We hope that friendships among residents will develop and that residents will enjoy being part of a community, but there is no compulsion on a resident to join in any of the communal social activities. We have internet access should a resident wish to access  internet and a Skype account with a web cam which service users can call friends and family from if they wish.

• Parc Vro’s facilities include a large sitting room with dividing doors, a dining room and a spacious garden. All communal areas of Parc Vro are wheelchair accessible.

• To assist with Parc Vro’s social programme, there are ramps, a lift and stair lift, communal areas and a large garden area with raised flower beds, seating and specialist gardening equipment. We also have a vegetable, fruit and herb garden and use the produce grown in our cooking. 

• At Parc Vro, we recognise that food and drink play an important part in the social life of our home. We provide a welcoming environment in the dining room and to ensure that meals are a pleasant, unhurried occasion providing opportunities for social interaction as well as nourishment. As far as possible, we support residents to take meals in the dining room thus enjoying meals as a social occasion.  However meals can be served in residents own rooms if desired. Three full meals are provided each day, there is widely varied menu for all meals throughout the day and residents are always offered a choice at meal times. We cater for special and therapeutic diets as advised by relevant healthcare specialists and as agreed in each residents care profile, and staff are available to provide discreet, sensitive and individual help with eating and drinking for those needing it. Snacks and hot and cold drinks are available at all times. We aim to make all the food and drink we provide attractive, appealing and appetising, and always mark special occasions and festivals.
• We try to ensure that Parc Vro is part of the local community, so in principle we encourage visitors to Parc Vro such as local councillors, representatives of voluntary organisations, students, school children and others. Naturally, we respect the views of residents about whom they want to see or not to see

• We recognise that risk taking is a vital and often enjoyable part of life and of social activity and that some residents will wish to take certain risks despite, or even because of their lack of ability. We do not aim therefore to provide a totally risk free environment though we take care to ensure that residents are not subjected to unnecessary hazards. When a resident wishes to take part in an activity which could involve a risk, we will carry out a thorough risk assessment with the individual, involving, if they desire a relative, friend or representative and will agree and record action which will appropriately balance the factors involved. Such risk assessments will be regularly reviewed with the participation of all parties in the light of experience

• For the benefit of all residents and staff, Parc Vro enforces a no smoking policy

• There may be a charge associated with some social activities and services where this applies, the details will be made clear to the resident in advance

• We aim to give residents opportunities to participate in all aspects of life in the home. In particular, residents are regularly consulted both individually and corporately about the way Parc Vro is run. We have regular resident meetings regarding the home’s décor, furnishings, menu, activities etc. Our objective is always to make the process of managing and running Parc Vro as transparent as possible and to ensure that the home has an open, positive and inclusive atmosphere.