Who's up for cocktails at my care home asks ex club owner Cherie?

Cocktails were flowing at a Hastings care home bringing back special memories for former nightclub manager and 72 year old resident Cherie Pasch.
Cocktails at care home SUS-180801-103626001Cocktails at care home SUS-180801-103626001
Cocktails at care home SUS-180801-103626001

Residents, family members and staff were invited to the event at Hastings Court care home on The Ridge, hosted by manager Georgina Gamble, where they could enjoy a ‘1066 Sunset’ and ‘Hastings Punch’.

The cocktail night encouraged reminiscence about evenings out and holidays abroad for many residents - but particularly Cherie Pasch who owned nine nightclubs in and around Hastings in the 1960s and ‘70s.

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“I was so excited when I knew this was happening,” said Cherie, who had her red hair dye topped up especially for the occasion. “I still love a good party, although I can’t do it until two in the morning anymore! I didn’t think you could do this is in a care home, I loved it.”

Hastings Court is a purpose built, 80 bed care home providing person-centred residential, nursing and dementia care. The event was also a touch of nostalgia for the home’s customer relationship manager, Jan Thomas, who spent 25 years as a publican.

“My husband and I had a pub in Wadhurst and before that one in Chichester opposite the Festival Theatre. We would regularly get actors appearing there coming in for a drink – Omar Sharif, Barbara Windsor and Alan Bates to name but a few. But serving behind the ‘bar’ here is just as, if not more, exciting.”

The cocktail party is just one of a range of events the home runs to keep residents stimulated. And given its success, Georgina Gamble said they’re looking to add more evening entertainment to their calendar.

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“Our lives at home don’t stop at six o’clock - so our residents’ shouldn’t either,” she said. “There was such energy in the home, it was amazing. Everyone went to bed very happy.”

Georgina added: “There is also anecdotal evidence that people in residential care can find evenings the loneliest part of their day because friends and relatives usually visit much earlier. After dinner there aren’t the activities to bring people together.

“We wanted to give residents something different as well as celebrate the end of the year together.”