Yahoo News ‘For a lot of older people, what they miss is going to the pub’ – Cleethorpes care home creates its own social club for residents
A care home in Cleethorpes has created its own social club to give residents a new space to relax, have fun and enjoy the atmosphere of a “pub”.
Ashgrove Care Home, in North Sea Lane, decided a room that was only being used for storage could be put to better use and set to decorating it and kitting it out with a “bar”, pub games and more, for the pleasure of the people who live there.
Terri Bennington, activities co-ordinator at Ashgrove, said: “I’ve only been here a month and I’m really, really pleased to have been here at this time. Everybody has got involved in making Ashgrove Social Club.
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“We had a cupboard that was a bit battered and our maintenance man did it up and put a bit of worktop on the top and turned it into a bar. We are going to put fake pumps and optics in and serve free mocktails to the residents.
“People have been really kind with donations of items for the social club. It’s not cost a lot but it looks really, really lovely. The doors lead out to the main courtyard garden, which is going to serve as our ‘beer’ garden on sunny days, and we’ve got a marquee up for a bit of shade.”
Terri said the social club at Ashgrove, part of the Minster Care Group, had been the brainchild of the home manager; then everyone pitched in to help bring the project together. “The room was originally a music room, but things had started being put in there and it was just for storing stuff.
“"We are officially launching the social club on Saturday, August 31. There will be singer performing and we will cut a ribbon.
“The residents have been popping their heads in already.” Terri said: “For a lot of older people, what they miss, we have found, is just going to the pub.
“This is something special for them. We’ve got some proper pub games and cards – and actually a lot of ladies love a game of dominoes.”
One feature of the social club is a piano which, Terri said, was regrettably out of tune. “If there is a piano tuner out there who could come in and sort it out, it would be lovely; we can have someone play and have a singalong with the residents.”
Ashgrove Care Home, which has 42 rooms, offers residential, dementia, palliative, and respite care for the elderly.
