Dining delights: Specialist dementia nursing home in Selston serves up restaurant-like experience

Wren Hall Nursing Home, on Nottingham Road, hosted its monthly Wrens Nest evening, where it provides a special restaurant-like experience with delicious food, table decorations and waiter service.

Designed to be an enriching experience for both family members and their relatives, the events allow those unable to leave the home to still experience fine dining and socialisation.

The home’s catering team work up a three-course menu which most recently included canapes and a strawberry chocolate tart, while other staff members provide attentive table service.

Anita Astle, Wren Hall owner and manager, said: "We aim to make every moment matter for our family members and go the extra mile to create experiences like our Wrens Nest evenings that their relatives can cherish. Witnessing the joy and appreciation from everyone involved is truly heartwarming, and it reinforces our commitment to providing an outstanding and homely environment for those living with dementia."

Providing a restaurant-like experience in the home has a positive impact on its family members’ social wellbeing, independence, and mental stimulation.

It creates an engaging and enjoyable environment that promotes a higher quality of life, and is just one of the many events and activities the home organises.

One relative said: “It makes me quite emotional to see the amount of effort that is put in and how perfect everything always is. Nothing is too much trouble and the staff, food and service is excellent.”

Anita said: “Reliving experiences family members would have done before coming into the home can be highly beneficial for individuals with dementia.

“It activates neural networks associated with memory retrieval, attention, and problem-solving. We try to encourage family members to participate in lots of activities such as gardening, baking and shopping, as it also helps to maintain a sense of independence.”

Rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission health watchdog, Wren Hall strives to provide a homely and friendly environment to help those living with dementia to achieve optimum independence. Part of this includes referring to those who reside in the home as ‘family members’, rather than residents.