Three Newark residents have had their wishes granted after the creation of a “Make My Wish Come True” scheme at Red Roofs Care Home.
The heartwarming scheme was launched by the dedicated care home staff as part of their ongoing commitment to enhancing the quality of life for the people at their home and celebrating their past experiences and interests. Each month, Red Roof staff work one-to-one with each resident and encourage them to share their wishes, and then do their best to make these wishes come true. They have already fulfilled the dreams of Doreen, Jean and Pearl, who are all much-loved residents at the home.
When Pearl decided to sell the bungalow she had shared with her husband for 64 years, staff wanted to help make the process easier for her. Pearl had told them of the couple’s love of gardening and shared stories of how she had created a beautiful garden from scratch that had been enjoyed by their children and grandchildren. Some of her roses had already been transferred to Red Roofs, but Pearl asked if she could create some hanging baskets for the care home. She was accompanied to the local garden centre to pick the flowers and foliage and created several beautiful displays for the other residents to enjoy.
Another gardening fan, Jean lived with her husband in Eastbourne for over fifty years, and spoke fondly of the many happy hours they’d spent together growing flowers and vegetables. Staff knew it would be enjoyable and beneficial for Jean to garden outside again, and arranged for two polytunnels to be delivered so she could grow tomatoes like she used to. Jean has now been happily tending to her thriving tomato plants for several months, and is often accompanied by her daughter who has inherited her mother’s love of gardening.
Doreen longed to attend the wedding of her grandson Mark but was sadly unable to make the almost 3-hour journey – so the Red Roofs staff decided to bring the celebration to her. They arranged an all-day party for Doreen, which included confetti, wedding cake and dancing, and all residents gathered to raise a glass of fizz to the happy couple. Doreen had a special pamper session for the occasion, and even recorded a special message to her grandson and his bride. One staff member said, “There was not a dry eye in the room”.
Trish Smith, Red Roofs Manager, said: “‘Make my wish come true’ has been such a big success – seeing the joy on our residents’ faces makes it so worthwhile. It can remind people of happy memories or strengthen bonds with loved ones, and it provides mental stimulation and a sense of purpose. Perhaps most importantly, it shows that we value and cherish the things that have mattered in the past to the wonderful people in our home, and brings some joy to their lives.”
There are plenty of Red Roofs community members with wishes to fulfil, and the team at Red Roofs are keen to work more closely with the local community to expand the scheme.
“We would love local people and businesses to support us in creating meaningful and memorable experiences for the people at Red Roofs and provide even more opportunities to make our residents smile,” said Trish. “This could be through offering expertise, suggestions or resources. This isn’t just about granting wishes – it’s about enhancing the quality of life for those who have been part of this community for many years.”
She added: “The scheme has not only made Pearl, Jean and Doreen happy, but has created a positive ripple effect throughout our whole community. That’s testament to the caring and welcoming environment we strive to create every day at Red Roofs, and I’d like to share my heartfelt thanks to the staff who have helped make these dreams come true.”
