94-year-old Lesley cooks again thanks to resident kitchenettes

By Emma OstaContributor
Published 25th Jun 2024, 16:13 BST
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Birmingham care home resident, Lesley Travis (94), has had his breakfast dream of eggs to order fulfilled and is now able to cook for himself again thanks to the installation of three resident kitchenettes at Oakview Care Home.

The kitchenettes, on every floor of the 97-bed care home now offer a bespoke breakfast menu, a challenge for the former central kitchen due to the home’s size. The kitchenettes have supported residents like Lesley to prepare simple meals, cook eggs, and make cups of tea independently or under supervision, which helps to retain independence and confidence of those living in care homes.

Since the installation, resident interaction at mealtimes has improved, and the flexibility of the kitchenettes have supported residents to socialise more with each other and engage in Oakview’s cooking and baking classes, which offer a therapeutic and rich sensory experience to all of those who attend.

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Commenting on the kitchenettes, Care Home Manager, Pal Grewal said: “Although the eggs-to-order breakfast is popular, the kitchenettes have provided so much more than that. They have created unity between our residents and their families - one particular visitor cooked a full Caribbean feast with their loved one! It’s moments like this that keep families connected.”

Will Johnston Photography - Oakview Care Home, 20 Overfield Road, Birmingham - Lesley Travis (94), who has had his breakfast dream of eggs to order fulfilled following the installation of innovative resident-friendly cooking bays at the care home. In an effort to provide a better breakfast service and expand the care home’s menu, Oakview has installed high-specification kitchenettes on every level of the home to ensure a kitchen is easily accessible for every unit. The kitchenettes feature an open-plan design, high-specification appliances and a central island. The open layout provides residents and their families with the opportunity to socialise and share in the joys of cooking, which supports residents to retain independence. Lesley is pictured in the kitchen with home manager Pal Grewal (in the black) and senior carer Kamaljit KaurWill Johnston Photography - Oakview Care Home, 20 Overfield Road, Birmingham - Lesley Travis (94), who has had his breakfast dream of eggs to order fulfilled following the installation of innovative resident-friendly cooking bays at the care home. In an effort to provide a better breakfast service and expand the care home’s menu, Oakview has installed high-specification kitchenettes on every level of the home to ensure a kitchen is easily accessible for every unit. The kitchenettes feature an open-plan design, high-specification appliances and a central island. The open layout provides residents and their families with the opportunity to socialise and share in the joys of cooking, which supports residents to retain independence. Lesley is pictured in the kitchen with home manager Pal Grewal (in the black) and senior carer Kamaljit Kaur
Will Johnston Photography - Oakview Care Home, 20 Overfield Road, Birmingham - Lesley Travis (94), who has had his breakfast dream of eggs to order fulfilled following the installation of innovative resident-friendly cooking bays at the care home. In an effort to provide a better breakfast service and expand the care home’s menu, Oakview has installed high-specification kitchenettes on every level of the home to ensure a kitchen is easily accessible for every unit. The kitchenettes feature an open-plan design, high-specification appliances and a central island. The open layout provides residents and their families with the opportunity to socialise and share in the joys of cooking, which supports residents to retain independence. Lesley is pictured in the kitchen with home manager Pal Grewal (in the black) and senior carer Kamaljit Kaur

“Lesley is one of the many Oakview residents who are independent, cheerful and very capable, and wishes to remain that way for as long as possible. We encourage this passion for life at Oakview, and cookery is a fulfilling and creative hobby in which to practise that.”

The kitchenettes have been designed with the residents in mind and feature an open-plan design, high-specification appliances and a central island for food preparation and cookery demonstrations.

Commenting on Oakview’s breakfast service, Lesley Travis, added: “I absolutely love eggs in the morning and now they’re cooked just how I like them! I will be 94-years young on the 24th June and plan to have fried eggs for my birthday - I’m really looking forward to it!”

For more information please visit: www.oakviewcare.co.uk

Related topics:BirminghamCaribbean

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