Pensioners prove you are never too old to dance

A MULTICULTURAL care team in Edinburgh has had residents lining up to participate in traditional activities from nations around the world.

Pensioners at Cramond Residence, which is situated to the north of the city, have been enjoying country line dancing lessons with North American staff members.

Staff have been using their heritage and traditional activities from home as a way of enabling residents to experience a variety of new hobbies and cultures from the comfort of their own home – a favourite of which has become dancing.

Lisa Sohn, Lead Lifestyle Coordinator at the 74-bedroom plush home, said: “Residents and staff are always keen to develop a close relationship and learn new things about each other.

“That’s why lots of our staff members have volunteered to host a day full of activities dedicated to their home countries, which means everyone can learn more about that country and its food and traditions.

“All of the activities we put on encourage social interaction, so all of these different experiences give residents time to reminisce and chat about their own travel experiences, while also learning about each other and staff.

“The line dancing afternoon was a huge hit with lots of our residents, who are now very keen for us to add it as a permanent activity to our monthly planner!”

Previous months have included a presentation about India and samples of food by Vinay Naik and Sai Chand A Pinnoju, food service assistants at Cramond Residence. Other cultural events have included Spanish, Italian & German language classes accompanied by traditional foods from these countries, most recently, a pizza making masterclasses.

During lockdown, Lifestyle Coordinators led activities from The Residence Cinema, connecting via video with residents in their own private lounge or in their bedrooms via smart TVs to enable two-way communications.

Cramond Residence provides a combination of luxury accommodation and the highest quality of care, with all residents enjoying a wide range of amenities and activities, delicious food and a tailored care programme.

The home offers residents an abundance of different amenities, including beautiful gardens, a library, a hair salon, a private fine-dining space, physiotherapy room and cinema, which also doubles as a large, multi-purpose space for a host of social events.

Places in the care home start from £1850 a week. To find out more, call 0131 341 4037 or visit https://cramondresidence.co.uk/