To mark World Alzheimer’s Day 2021, we have spoken to one of our Residents, Ena Fiddes, aged 85, who gives us an insight into what a typical day looks like for those living with dementia in our care homes across the UK.
Ena lives in
Brandon House care home in Coventry, which offers nursing memory care, for those living with dementia.
7:30am: Rise and shine
Ena wakes up peacefully in her bedroom, it is a bright and sunny morning and the first thing she hears is the sound of birds singing in the garden. Dawn, one of the home’s Care Assistants, asks Ena if she would like a shower, before supporting her to brush her teeth and helping her to get dressed for the day ahead.
While Ena gets dressed, Dawn chats to her about the wellbeing activities coming up that week, including animal therapy and bingo. Ena is excited to hear this, as she often enjoys a round of bingo with her fellow Residents.
8:30am: A hearty breakfast
Breakfast is one of Ena’s favourite meals at Brandon House as, with plenty of tasty, home-cooked dishes on the menu, she has lots to choose from to help set her up for the day. As it is a sunny day, Ena decides to sit in the outdoor courtyard and watch the ducks in the garden, which reminds her of life on her farm in Bristol many years ago.
Since she was younger, Ena has always enjoyed a traditional full English breakfast, so this is her usual choice. She requests for her breakfast to come with no tomatoes, which she does not like, so the home’s Chef Owen cooks up a breakfast to Ena’s taste, complete with sausage, bacon, and beans. Ena enjoys her breakfast in the sunshine, which she washes down with a strong cup of coffee, made just how Ena likes it, and finishes off with a bowl of cornflakes. Once Ena has finished eating, Owen pops outside for a quick chat with her to check she was satisfied with her breakfast.
10am: Mid-morning activities
Ena takes a seat in the lounge to watch her favourite breakfast TV show and enjoys a chat with her fellow Residents. Care Assistant Ree then accompanies Ena on a trip to the home’s post office, where she helps Ena write a letter to her loved ones and buy a jar of sweets from the shop. The post office is a popular spot for Residents at Brandon House, and is part of HC-One’s ‘life station’ initiative, where all homes offering memory care replicate every day environments and scenarios to encourage stimulation and engagement for people living with dementia.
Ree then asks Ena if she would like to go back to the lounge for a knit and natter with some other Residents; a hobby that Ena is known for by the team at Brandon House. Ena gets comfortable in the lounge as she gets to work on her knitting, helping to create a dress made from poppies as part of Brandon House’s communal project for Remembrance Day.
12:30pm: Time for lunch
Ena cannot wait for her lunch once she sees her favourite meal on the menu – fish and chips. Usually, Ena chooses to eat her lunch in her favourite, cosy spot in the dining room, but today she fancies a change of scenery and a catch up with her friends at the home, so she enjoys her lunch with a glass of wine in Brandon House’s very own pub, The Squirrel.
2pm: An afternoon visit
After lunch has settled, Ena enjoys a catch up with her niece, who tends to visit Brandon House once or twice a week, in the visiting pod. Ena’s niece is talked through the current Coronavirus procedures with one of the home’s Care Assistants, and once testing is done and PPE is in place, the pair have a lovely catch up over a cup of tea and a delicious slice of homemade cake.
3pm: And…relax
It has been quite an eventful day for Ena today, so, once she wishes farewell to her niece, she takes a seat in the lounge to relax and watch some TV. Ree tells Ena that her favourite program, Countdown, is about to start, so Ena watches the show with some of the other Residents. Ena loves trying to guess the conundrums, and she even sparks a bit of competition within the home on who can make the longest word.
Once the show comes to an end, Ree accompanies Ena to the home’s hairdressing salon. She enjoys a therapeutic pamper session and admires her new hair, before getting ready for dinner.
5pm: Good food, good mood
Ena is starting to get peckish and greets her fellow Residents in the dining room as she joins them for an evening meal. The wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen always smell amazing, especially at dinner time. Most days, Ena prefers a sandwich for her evening meal rather than a hot dinner, so Owen, the Chef, is always prepared to make Ena a sandwich of her choice if she does not fancy anything on the main menu. Ena enjoys her sandwich with a warm cup of tea and a natter.
7pm: A perfect end to the day
As the day draws to a close at Brandon House, Residents let their food settle and wind down after an exciting day of activities. Ena gets ready to watch Coronation Street, one of her much-loved shows, while knitting some more poppies for the home’s Remembrance Day project.
As Coronation Street comes to an end, Ena enjoys a tipple of sherry before heading back to her bedroom to get ready for bed. Dawn helps Ena get dressed into her nightwear and asks if she would like to get her outfit out ready for the next day; a routine Ena always used to follow prior to living at the home. Ena says yes and, with Dawn’s help, lays out her clothes for the next day ahead at Brandon House.
Memory care at HC-One
Many of our homes at HC-One offer dedicated memory care services for Residents living with dementia. Our Colleagues are specially trained to care and understand the needs and aspirations of each individual living and to provide them with the kindest possible care and person-centred support.
We also have homes offering nursing care for older people living with dementia, who have additional health needs that require care and support from qualified nurses.
For more information about our homes in your area, please contact our friendly Careline team on
0333 999 8699