Royal praise for staff at Oaktree care home as first wish is granted from the tree

The team at Oaktree care home in Bristol have waved a magic wand and are delighted to have granted the first wish from their residents’ wish tree. 

Alan, a resident at Oaktree Care Home, had a unique and heartfelt wish – a letter from Prince Edward. In an extraordinary turn of events, one of the dedicated staff members reached out to the Prince to make Alan’s wish come true. To everyone’s sheer delight, Prince Edward responded with words of praise and gratitude. And the resulting letter from the new Duke of Edinburgh Prince Edward also contains praise for the staff at the home in Yate. 

Part of the letter reads – “The Duke of Edinburgh would be so grateful if you could also pass on his regards to everyone at Oaktree, particularly the staff who clearly do a wonderful job going to extra mile to support their residents.” 

Oaktree Home Manager, Pamela Arnsmeyer, shared, “Alan’s wish for a letter from Prince Edward was truly extraordinary. We took the initiative to reach out to the Prince and were overjoyed when he responded. Alan’s wish is a testament to the unique connections we strive to create with our residents.” 

“We are delighted to have been able to grant Alan’s wish and hope to be able to go on to fulfill many more wishes for our residents. The concept of the wish tree has gone down very well with the our residents and their families,” she said. 

The wish tree initiative has emerged as a beacon of positivity within Oaktree Care Home, and other wishes currently on the tree include seeing members of family, having a nice glass of sherry and getting a new dress. 

The concept of a wish tree, which many homes in the Healthcare Homes’ family have introduced, can have a lot of different benefits as part of the care home community.  

 Benefits can include –  

• The simple act of writing down a wish and hanging it on the tree can be remarkably uplifting. It encourages residents to look forward to the future 
• The act of making a wish, no matter how big or small, reminds us all that life holds opportunities for joy and fulfilment 
• The Wish Tree can be a focal point for interaction among residents, staff, and even visitors  
• A Wish Tree can serve as a conduit for emotional release. Residents may express their feelings, memories, and dreams through their wishes 
• Care home staff can also gain insights into the residents’ emotional needs, facilitating more personalised care and support 
• The physical presence of a Wish Tree adds a touch of enchantment and magic to the care home atmosphere  
• A Wish Tree can be a bridge between generations, sparking conversations between residents and their visitors. Children, in particular, can be fascinated by the idea of making wishes 
• Having a Wish Tree in a care home demonstrates a commitment to holistic care that goes beyond functional and medical needs 

Pip Rich