Member Article

Care group creates new role to oversee wellbeing programme

A Hull and East Riding based care group is continuing to invest in its activities and wellbeing programme with the creation of a new specialist lead role in this area.

Hica Group, which operates 19 care homes across the area, as well as two retirement villages, has promoted quality and compliance advisor, Brian Johnson, to head activities and wellbeing across the group.

The appointment comes following years of significant investment in hiring and training an increased number of exercise and activity coordinators, general training, specialist activity sessions and entertainers.

The not for profit organisation invested heavily, both in time and resources to provide customised, individual care and exercise activities, resulting in an improvement in health and wellbeing with its residents.

The dedication to the programme has provided residents with a high quality of life and care and has also been recognised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) during inspections. Brain said: “Activities have become such an important part of the wider care programme for our residents. Due to our investment in both time and funds in activities and wellness, we needed to develop a structure and provide guidance for our activity coordinators.

“My role is to oversee an enriching activities programme which uses the most innovative techniques and technologies to support our residents with enjoyable sessions including gentle exercise, arts and crafts and reminiscence.

“Due to the importance of the activities programme, I am also required to organise, manage, and deliver activities as well as ensure results are recorded to meet official standards, further preparing us for inspections.”

Hica Group has also invested in a range of pop up reminiscence ‘pods’, including a 1950s kitchen and a classic pub to help support reminiscence therapy for its residents with dementia, while becoming the first care group in the Hull and East Riding area to team up with Oomph! Wellness, the UK’s largest provider of activities and exercise training to the care sector.

Penni Brown, chief executive at Hica Group said: “Good physical and mental health is the key to enjoying a long, happy and fulfilled life. We have always focused on activities across our homes but more recently there has been a strategic, structured group-wide programme.

“We want the care home experience to be positive and not something older people and their relatives should worry about. Our homes need to be fun, engaging and supportive for those who can maintain a mentally or physically active lifestyle.

“Living in an active and positive way is incredibly important for older people because it helps to maintain physical mobility and mental wellbeing, including treating some of the symptoms of dementia. We have noticed a real and positive impact on many the residents who take part in regular activities including crafts, light exercise and singing.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by The Hica Group .