Classroom comeback: Care home resident heads back to school
A resident at a Sutton Coldfield care home has come full circle with a day in a school where she used to teach.
Barbara Bond, 75, spent more than 20 years as a teacher at The Shrubbery School and wanted nothing more than to relive her days in the classroom. She was a nursery teacher, retired in 2012, and had not visited the school since.
When the team at Care UK’s Mercia Grange, on Lichfield Road, caught wind of this, they were eager to bring Barbara’s wish to life, so organised a trip back to the school.
The special visit included tours of the buildings, where Barbara could see all the familiar corridors and meet the new teachers who had followed in her footsteps. She also had the opportunity to talk to some of the children and they asked her what the nursery used to be like.
Barbara said: “It was wonderful to go back to the school. I thought I wouldn't be able to go back ever again. The place looks somewhat different now, but all the memories are still there.”
This treat was part of Care UK’s Wishing Tree initiative, which encourages residents to put forward their desires to revisit old hobbies or try something completely new. Whether it’s a fish and chip supper, a skydive or watching a football match, no wish is too big or too small.
Michael McNellis, Home Manager at Mercia Grange, said: “It was a real pleasure to organise this nostalgic trip for Barbara. She always tells us about her teaching years and how special they were to her, so seeing her back in her element was a joy.
“It’s so important to us here at Mercia Grange to enable residents to live independent and rewarding lives. Giving them a chance to reconnect with their passions is just one example of how we are able to improve their wellbeing.
“We’d like to thank the staff at The Shrubbery School for being so welcoming and embracing Barbara back as one of their own, and the team here at Mercia Grange for organising such a wonderful experience for everyone involved.”
Mercia Grange is a state-of-the-art care home that provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. The three-storey care home, which features 67 en suite bedrooms, has been designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The care home incorporates plenty of space for leisure activities and hobbies, and includes its own cinema, hair and beauty salon and pub.
