Summer has a way of filling Laurel Bank with noise of the best kind – laughter from the lounge, music drifting down the corridor, and this year, the sound of a very special project taking shape.
Mid-July’s activity day was a favourite: the parachute came out in the lounge, and what starts as a gentle game never stays gentle for long. Activities like this look simple, but they’re chosen with care, parachute games encourage movement, coordination and shared laughter, and there’s a seat (and a role) for everyone, whatever their mobility.
The big news of the summer: following conversations with our residents, Betty’s Tea Room is being transformed into our very own onsite pub – The Laurel Bank Arms. In June the pub sign went up (thank you, Samantha), and the space is well on its way to opening.
Why build a pub in a care home? Because familiar places matter, especially for people living with dementia. A local, with its recognisable rhythms, a pint glass, a bar stool, a chat about the football – can unlock memories and conversation in a way few other spaces can. It’s the same thinking behind everything at Laurel Bank: spaces that feel like life, not like a facility.
The kettle (and soon, the pumps) are always on. If you’re thinking about care for someone you love and want to see what daily life here really looks like, arrange a visit – an ordinary afternoon tells you more than any brochure.
