Celebrating Elf Day in a service that supports people at home

I’m Admin Assistant/Care Co-ordinator at Liberty Care Flintshire. We provide carers for adults who need support at home, including specialist care for people with dementia. 

We saw a post about Elf Day on the Alzheimer’s Society Facebook group last year, and we put it on our own group chat. Everyone seemed well up for it, people were jumping on the bandwagon, throwing ideas in – they all wanted to participate!

Like family 

During lockdown, we noticed a massive increase in people feeling isolated and lonely, not seeing their families.

About 70% of our clients have dementia, and our carers are very attached to them – they’re more like family. 

Alzheimer’s Society also means a lot to me, as my gorgeous Nanna Ffrith has dementia. 

It’s been a gradual process for her, and for our clients who have dementia. It’s the initial diagnosis first, and it’s hard to think about what’s next – you’re going to notice a deterioration. 

One day you’d go there and my nan will remember you and talk about old days. Then you’d go and get a cup of tea and she’d say, ‘Who are you?’

It’s affected me and other members of our family. 

It helps to be positive, and we wanted to spread positivity. 

Fun-filled day 

We did a few things for Elf Day, though we were limited due to pandemic restrictions. Staff dressed up as elves when visiting clients. They were howling with laughter when staff walked in! 

A colleague made about 30 boxes of elf-themed cupcakes, a box of 12 for £6. We also had a Secret Santa and Guess the Name to win a really big elf toy, choosing from 40 Christmas-themed names. 

We raised over £500, and clients made donations too – Alzheimer’s Society is a good cause that’s helped them in the past. 

It was a fun-filled day, so different to what we were experiencing last year. Next time we want to do it bigger and even better!