Activities leaders at Derby’s oldest nursing home have reported a surge in enthusiasm for crafts in the run up to Christmas and top of the list is … pom pom making!
Georgia Parsisson, who co-ordinates activities at the long-running Brookfields Private Nursing Home on Burton Road, has said its newly started Monday ‘pom pom club’ has proved one of its most popular yet.
The nursing home is seeing residents queuing up to make the traditional woollen balls beloved by generations of children, enjoying a festive tipple or two at the same time.
Even residents living with complex medical issues such as reliance on an oxygen mask to breathe have been making the effort to leave their rooms and keep their hands busy by joining in the innocent pastime.
Brookfields’ residents decorated pom poms to make keyrings for their Christmas fair, raising money for a special fund paying for treats and trips out. They have also been creating a giant pom pom snowman to help make Brookfields – a traditional Edwardian property – all ready for Christmas.
One resident, Mary Strange, has joined the Monday pom pom making club aged 102!
“It’s very relaxing!” said Mary, who could not recall having made a pom pom since being a child herself.
Activities co-ordinators have reported that residents particularly enjoy pom pom making because it allows them to feel a sense of achievement in having made something themselves.
Georgia said: “Most people can make a pom pom. There’s no pressure with it – you can’t really do it wrong.”
The home – which is famous for its legendary weekly quiz put together by Georgia where residents compete in teams – has also reported a big enthusiasm for other traditional activities such as painting and baking jam tarts.
Brookfields owner Celeste Turner said: “We have people living here who love crafts but have not done them for years and years. They are often very enthusiastic about starting up again and sharing their knowledge and skills. We have ladies who are members of organisations like the WI who are able to put skills like baking and knitting to good use once again. We are seeing crafts going from strength to strength – we have a baking club once a month which is very popular.
“It’s about enabling people to live as close to their normal lives as possible.”
As part of its crafting craze Brookfields residents raised money for BBC Children in Need by decorating the doors of their bedrooms.
They have also been busy making sculptures from books, paper flowers and a host of other crafting activities.
This story was written and shared on behalf of Brookfields Private Nursing Home by Lucy Stephens. Can we share your news and get you in the headlines too? Find out how we can help by getting in touch.
