Darlington Court names new suite after resident

Home news

May 01, 2017

Darlington Court marked the opening of its new sensory room, named after a resident, with the help of his relatives and family friends.

Harry Cheston was a resident for at Darlington Court for four years, and while living at the home enjoyed all the sensory activities that took place. Thanks to the generous donation from Harry’s family and friends, the home has created a new facility to benefit its residents.

The team and residents were joined by Harry’s wife, June Cheston, and daughter, Suzanne Westcott, who helped officially open the new sensory room.

The team at Darlington Court carefully planned how the room should look with the help of the home’s maintenance man and lifestyle co-ordinators. Some of the residents also got involved by creating a number of tactile boards in arts and crafts to be displayed in the new suite. 

Darlington Court home manager, Fiona Wiederkehr, said: “Harry was particularly fond of the many sensory activities we hold at Darlington Court, so it was an easy decision to use this thoughtful donation to make a sensory room.

“Harry was a much loved resident at the home and we were delighted to name the room after him as the Cheston Suite. We had a lovely ceremony with June and Suzanne, and we’re grateful they could be here to open the new facilities.

“Different sights, sounds and materials can all help to improve mood, evoke memories and engage people living with dementia, and our new facilities will benefit residents for years to come. We would also like to pay tribute to Maisie Morris whose kind donation allowed us to buy a beautifully lit willow tree for the sensory room.”