Joan Darby (96) who resides at Chetwynd House Care Home in Beeston, Nottingham, has her Christmas wish come true as part of the Adept Care Homes’ ‘Make A Wish’ program.
Over 500 residents are encouraged to make a wish, no matter how big or small, the wishes are put it in the home’s magic wishing well and every month, one resident is picked to have their wish come true.
Joan who is the proud mum of two children, both sons, Peter and Philip Darby said “They look after me so well and always make sure I want for nothing, no mum could want better children. I just wanted to do something special for them to say thank you.”
Joan’s wish is “to go Christmas shopping to buy surprise presents for my boys, to say thank you for everything they do for me, they are the ones who usually take me shopping, so it is very hard to surprise them,” chuckled Joan.
The Chetwynd House Care Home team set to work and make her wish come true as they organised a personal shopping trip to East Midlands Designer Outlet, an American themed retail village filled with big-name brands and restaurants.
As an extra surprise for Joan, they stopped by the Harry Ramsden© Fish and Chips Shop to enjoy a portion of freshly battered cod, chips and mushy peas, coated in salt and vinegar and wrapped in paper, just like Joan used to do with her now late husband Bill, when he used to take her Christmas Shopping.
“I have had such a marvellous day thanks to the team at Chetwynd House, they really have made my Christmas this year very special, helping me to do something special for the people who mean the world to me. Christmas wishes really can come true, Merry Christmas everybody!” said Joan.
“We want to give all our residents the opportunity to have something, achieve something or revisit something they thought they’d never get a chance to do again. It could be anything from seeing their favourite show in the West End, to finding a long-lost relative. It’s also a great reminiscence activity, particularly for our residents living with dementia” said Kate Gilvear, Home Manager at Chetwynd House.
“Our Lifestyle and Wellbeing program is designed around our residents, their passions and interests and as Joan would agree, all helps to makes Chetwynd House ‘a superb place to live or work’ said Kate.
Please do give us a call on 0115 6979767 if you are looking for care or need any further help.”