A resident at Potter House care home in Yeovil is helping fellow residents start their day with a smile after creating her own daily newspaper delivery service.
Carol Wells (80), who worked in a newsagent after leaving school, volunteered to take on the role of delivering newspapers around the home each morning so that everyone could start the day with a friendly chat.
The team at Potter House made the role official and surprised Carol with a personalised apron emblazoned with the words ‘Carol’s Paper Round’.
Carol said: “I definitely like to keep busy. I enjoy the exercise and getting my steps in, but I also love talking to people first thing in the morning. I’ve got to know lots of residents better through doing the paper round and it’s nice welcoming new residents too.”
Carol’s paper round reflects research around the importance of purpose in later life.
Research from The University of Manchester found that older people living in care homes can benefit significantly from taking on meaningful roles that help others, with evidence suggesting that purposeful activities and structured routines can enhance wellbeing and quality of life. ¹
Meg Cleal, the General Manager at Potter House, added, “Our residents are free to spend the day however they choose, and Carol absolutely loves doing her paper round each morning.
“It’s quite moving to see her visit each resident, and you can’t help but smile when Carol walks through the door. It makes us very proud of the community we’ve built at Potter House.”
To find out more about life at Potter House, you can join the residents for Wellness Wednesday, where all are welcome from 3pm-4pm for wellness activities, a hot drink and a slice of homemade cake.
For more information call 01935 548266, email [email protected], or visit the home on Highfield Road, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 4RJ.
