Category: Almond

Promotion bolsters dementia care at Cramond Residence 

New Head of Lifestyle to strengthen residents’ experiences at care home 

ONE of Scotland’s leading care facilities has announced the appointment of a new specialist that will further improve its high-quality dementia services.  

Elaine Vallance has been promoted to Head of Lifestyle at Cramond Residence, bringing more than six years of expert care knowledge to the home’s lifestyle team.  

Elaine, who joined Cramond Residence 15 months ago, will organise a wide range of activities designed to bring meaningful socialisation to residents – a major factor in treating dementia patients.  

She said: “I’m passionate about delivering the best possible quality of care to our residents during their golden years. 

“I love spending time with our residents, and I am lucky to now head up an incredible team who always give their best to ensure that the standard of care we deliver is second to none. 

“When you come away from an activity that residents have enjoyed and you see a smile on their faces, it’s hugely rewarding and motivating. I’m really excited and thankful to be given this opportunity and I am looking forward to working with the team to bring forward more fantastic activities for our residents.” 

Cramond Residence strives to ensure that those living with dementia live a fulfilled life. The home offers a dedicated dementia floor, specially designed for those living with the condition to allow them to live a richer and more satisfying life with specialist facilities and trained staff on hand to provide support and relief. 

Dementia training sits at the top of the care home’s agenda with 90% of their staff being provided with vital dementia training.  

Elaine added: “We have already had a series of fantastic events for residents such as a trip on the trams to Newhaven, as well as a sports day which was popular with the residents.  

“In the future I have plans to create a sensory room for our residents living with dementia, this will provide a stimulating environment with huge mental benefits. 

“I will continue channelling all my energies and passion into delivering what Cramond Residence is all about, delivering top quality care to those who stay with us.” 

Client Liaison Manager, Christian Daraio said: “Elaine has a wonderfully kind and nurturing personality which the residents love.  

“We are incredible lucky to have her on our team and I am really looking forward to seeing what fantastic opportunities she no doubt has in store for our residents in the future.” 

Cramond residence is a purpose-built care home which opened in October 2018. It combines luxury, five-star accommodation with outstanding clinical standards. 

Spread across three floors, Cramond Residence adopts a small group living philosophy. That means groups of eight rooms form distinct “houses”, where residents are encouraged to eat and socialise together.  

To find out more information on Cramond Residence, visit:

 https://cramondresidence.co.uk/ 

WOW! ACH visits Cramond Primary

Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP for Edinburgh Western met pupils from Cramond Primary School yesterday (Wednesday 29 March) to learn about their walk to school.

Cramond Primary School is taking part in WOW – the walk to school challenge from charity Living Streets Scotland. The MSP was joined by Councillors Normal Work and Lewis Younie.

WOW sees pupils record how they get to school using the interactive WOW Travel Tracker with those who walk, wheel, cycle, scoot or ‘Park and Stride’ to school being awarded a monthly WOW badge.

WOW schools see on average a 13 per cent increase in pupils walking to school in Scotland with a corresponding drop in car use, helping to reduce congestion and increase safety outside the school gates.

Living Streets Scotland is delivering Active Travel Playground Games sessions to the pupils, during the Spring term. Completed over the course of two days, every pupil has the opportunity to participate in fun and interactive activities and learn more about the benefits of active travel for themselves and the environment.

Pensioner play dates bring intergenerational joy

Toddlers from local nursery visit Edinburgh care home

INTERGENERATIONAL visits at an Edinburgh care home have brought some of the city’s oldest and youngest residents together.

A group of toddlers aged between three and five from Cramond Early Learning and Childcare visited residents at Cramond Residence for a day of activities and games, including art and craft projects and singing nursery rhymes.

Since opening in 2018, the home has worked to integrate younger and older generations. The benefits are endless – it reduces social isolation, loneliness and helps residents reminisce about their own childhoods.

Lorraine Mossie, Manager of Cramond Early Learning and Childcare said: “Once the ice had been broken between the children and residents, there was no stopping the fun!

“We’ve had amazing feedback from both the children and their families about our visit. The children were so excited to share their stories with their peers at nursery and with their families at home.

“We feel very passionately about intergenerational working in Cramond Early Learning and Childcare as it helps build confidence, challenges prejudices and assumptions.”

Cramond Residence prides itself on the vast array of activities offered to residents on a daily basis, with the visit from Cramond Early Learning and Childcare being one of the latest additions to the home’s bustling monthly rota.

Christian Daraio, Client Liaison Manager and registered nurse at the 74-bedroom care home, said: “The residents were very enthusiastic about the visit as they always look forward to interacting with young people – especially where singing or music is involved!

“Activities included lots of games with tennis rackets, bubbles, drawing and balloons, as well as both generations singing nursery rhymes together – it was really lovely to see. Almost 30 eager residents took part in the activities, each excited to spend some quality time with the youngsters.

“Relationships between young people and our older residents help to bring a new energy to the day.”

The visit follows recent company from Cargilfield School, Fettes College and Holyrood High School. The partnerships have enabled a host of students of all ages to visit the home, as well as providing the pupils with volunteering opportunities.

Christian continued: “These sorts of intergenerational activities allow our residents to appreciate the simple joys of seeing children and young people playing and performing, which promotes a positive mindset and most importantly, it’s great fun for everyone involved!

“We’re looking to continue regular visits from the nursery, alongside our existing relationships with other local schools.”

Cramond Residence is always on the look out for volunteers. If you would like to make a real difference to the quality of residents’ lives, visit: 

https://cramondresidence.co.uk/contact-us/join-the-team/

Residential life is full of activities, freshly prepared meals and top-class facilities, ensuring that all residents enjoy a rich and satisfying life at the care home. The facilities provided include a cinema and function room, a games room and also a sensory experience which offers therapeutic activities for those with dementia.

To find out more information on Cramond Residence, visit: 

https://cramondresidence.co.uk/

David Wilson Homes reveals three-storey maximalist Cammo townhouse

Maximalism, eye-catching colours and unbridled joy are key themes adorning the inside of David Wilson Homes’ newly launched show home at Cammo Meadows in the north-west of Edinburgh.

As the region’s only three-storey show home, the three-bedroom Ashworth from the five-star housebuilder showcases multifunctional rooms fit for modern family living, designed by leading interior specialists Show Business.

A palette of bold, energetic colours has been used throughout the home, invoking feelings of cheerfulness and happiness – acknowledging a key interior trend for joyful, uplifting and mood boosting spaces recently identified by Wunderman Thompson in its annual trend report.

And with various paint brands proclaiming shades of red as their 2023 “colour of the year”, including Pantone’s Viva Magenta, a deep rose shade was selected for the ground-floor family dining room, working as both a grounding neutral and a touch of drama, complemented by a calming teal shade on the opposite wall. Relaxed textures create a laid-back feel to the room, including wood, soft accessories and fur throws. 

Interior showhome photography of The Ashworth at David Wilson Homes Cammo Meadows development in Edinburgh

Alix Riding, creative account manager at Show Business said: “Personality is key when it comes to styling a three-storey home, due to the vast amount of space.

“In this particular home we injected some fun and humour into the rooms with styling pieces such as artwork featuring jumping dogs and children’s artwork, as well as canvasses covered with splashes of paint to add a playful element.

“Pulling colours from wallpapers is a good guide when choosing cushion colours, and don’t be afraid to mix and match different patterns as this adds to the theme of fun and playful.”

Interior showhome photography of The Ashworth at David Wilson Homes Cammo Meadows development in Edinburgh

Upstairs, subtle touches of maximalist wallpaper make a statement, including animal print in the family bathroom and striped wallpaper on the stairwell. To demonstrate the flexible nature of a three-storey house, the first-floor lounge with Juliet balcony takes an escapist “getaway” style to invoke a sense of calm above the hustle and bustle of family life downstairs. 

On the top storey of the house is the main bedroom with en-suite, which features smooth velvets and panelled walls to create a well curated, smart feel with a wow factor.

Interior showhome photography of The Ashworth at David Wilson Homes Cammo Meadows development in Edinburgh

Anne Ross, sales director at David Wilson Homes East Scotland, part of Barratt Developments Scotland, said: “We’re really excited to reveal the east of Scotland’s first ever three-storey show home at Cammo Meadows, featuring three uniquely designed floors created for modern family living and with the latest design trends in mind.

“The house sits within a lovely community in the north-west of Edinburgh, less than ten minutes to the beach and just six miles to the city centre.”

House hunters are welcome to tour the show home at Cammo Meadows to get a feel for the property first-hand, as well as discover the surrounding area. A mix of three and four-bedroom homes are available, with David Wilson Homes offering incentives including up to £30,000 towards a mortgage, deposit or moving and running costs.

Modern building methods and materials also mean owners of new build homes can enjoy savings of up to £2,600 per year on energy bills, according to the HBF “Watt a Save” report published October 2022.

For more information, visit www.dwh.co.uk.

Council lied to justify destructive development, claim Silverlea campaigners

Community campaigners fighting to save the Silverlea woodland, wildlife and heritage site from a housing development have condemned as “Council lies” the claim that the site is a “barren” flytipping site  of “low landscape value and low recreational value with few quality trees”.

A meeting of the City of Edinburgh Council development sub-committee on 10 August flouted the Council’s own policy by approving the building of 142 houses on the green belt in the Muirhouse and the Salvesens area in north-west Edinburgh.

The Save Our Silverlea Campaign describe a photo of the site produced by the Council to justify the development as “totally misleading”.  

A SoS spokesperson said: “The photo showed a big pile of flytipped waste – but when a team from Save Our Silverlea visited the site days after the Council meeting, all we found was one white plastic bag and a dumped shopping trolley. The Council photo was either very old or taken elsewhere.  Councillors visited the site shortly before the meeting so they should have known the photo was ‘fake news’.”

Save Our Silverlea have produced photos of the site showing massive trees and a verdant and vibrant woodland. 

30-40 mature trees are to be felled to make way for the proposed scheme.

“We defy anyone – even a Councillor – to look at these magnificent trees and say this is a “barren”  flytipping site.  Clearly there has been some flytipping over the years – but if the site was sympathetically opened up to the community as a mini nature reserve with low impact paths and perhaps a children’s play area, then this increased footfall would act as a deterrent to flytipping. 

“The Council is effectively “saving” the site by destroying it.”

Freedom of Information request

The camapigners say the city council tried to justify the destruction of dozens of mature trees by claiming they were planting 131 saplings on the narrow strip of grass known as Silverknows Park. 

At the Council meeting Save Our Silverlea spokesperson Edward Murray described the real situation: “My flat overlooks Silverknowes Park and I watched them planting these saplings out in mid-February on a bitter cold day with the ground waterlogged,” he explained.

“The end result is the vast majority of these saplings never took root. They’re dead. Are we then to exchange 30-40 mature trees for row upon row of dead twigs in plastic tubes? That doesn’t strike us as a fair exchange.” 

On 16 August Save Our Silverlea submitted a Freedom of Information request asking how much the Silverknowes Park Tree Plantation cost.

At the Council meeting Edward Murray described Muirhouse, where he has lived for over 30 years, as “just a dormitory for workers to sleep in before going back to work again”. 

Mr Murray added: “Muirhouse is the size of a small town; it has no primary school, no park, not even a pub. It doesn’t even have a supermarket. In short, it is a deprived area. We have nothing down there. It’s one of the most deprived areas in Edinburgh.  

“And now, having taken practically everything, you want to take our last green space, the Silverlea site, for development, destroying a wildlife habitat and creating congestion and pollution along the Silverknowes/Muirhouse Parkway, described by Police Scotland as ‘the second most dangerous road in Edinburgh’.”

Save our Silverlea are continuing their campaign:  “As climate change threatens the future of humanity, we need to act to defend our green spaces.   This land should be used for the local community – not to make £millions for greedy property developers.

“We need much more council/ social housing – build council houses on the brownfield sites where they are now building 1000s of private houses.   The struggle to save our Silverlea continues.”

ELGT839_PL1_rev01-Silverknowes-Park-PlantingDownload

Council elections: ALMOND: Lib Dems pick up three of four council seats

LIB DEMS PICK UP THREE of FOUR SEATS

Ward 1 Almond results: 4 elected

Kevin Lang (Lib Dem)

Norrie Work (SNP)

Louise Young (Lib Dem)

Lewis James Younie (Lib Dem)

The Lib-Dems GAIN one seat at the expenses of the Scottish Conservatives.

Turnout – 51.1%

#SLG22Result

#Almond

Scottish Youth Parliament: Edinburgh elections results

The Scottish Youth Parliament election results 2021 were announced on Monday 22 November. Eleven new Members of the SYP will now represent young people in Edinburgh.

Ten of those elected are from state schools in the city, seven are young women and three are from a Black and Minority Ethnic background.

One remaining seat, in Northern and Leith, will be contested in the new year.

Edinburgh registered the highest number of expressions of interest in Scotland from potential candidates and fielded the most candidates (26) of any local authority.

We also achieved the highest voter turnout in Edinburgh since 2015, despite many of the usual campaigning activities being curtailed because of the pandemic.

Councillor Ellie Bird, Young People’s Champion, said: “I want to commend the astonishing achievements and contributions of all 26 candidates that stood across Edinburgh in the Scottish Youth Parliament election, and warmly welcome the eleven new MSYPs into our city’s elected member family.

“The success of this year’s election is a testament to the commitment and passion of everyone involved in prioritising the voice of young people, at a time when it’s never been more important.

“Due to the restricted access to schools, youth clubs and community centres, candidates have had to rely on their own ingenuity, creativity and sheer dogged persistence to get their message, and their vote, out.

“The determination that these young people have demonstrated in standing up for what they believe in by putting themselves forward for election and to be accountable to their electorate, especially during such a challenging period for young people, is nothing short of inspirational.

“I know they all have a lot to offer their communities and the causes they care about most, and I can’t wait to see what they do next and look forward to working with Edinburgh’s newest group of elected representatives to place young people at the heart of policy and decision making.”

For more information about the election and the successful candidates, please see @edinburghMSYPs

Joy Rides at Cramond

Care home residents have ‘wheely good time’!

A CYCLING initiative at an Edinburgh care home aiming to get elderly residents out in the fresh air and interacting with the community has got off to a speedy start. 

With restrictions easing, Cramond Residence was delighted to resume its partnership with Joy Rides – a customised electric tri-shaw bike that carries two passengers and a “driver”.

Residents at the care home to the north of the city enjoyed venturing out every other week before the pandemic on bespoke trails with Joy Rides founder and cycling enthusiast Lissa McIntyre.

Joy Rides was created in 2019 and is a one woman show helping passengers combat feelings of isolation and loneliness, whilst improving health and well-being all while having fun on the front of a tri-shaw bike.

Lissa McIntyre, said: “From a very young age I’ve had a passion for cycling – there is nothing better than feeling the wind in your hair and forgetting your worries for a little while.

“No other form of transport gives you the same sense of freedom as a bicycle does, so I wanted to ensure people who couldn’t cycle were able experience this feeling – albeit minus the strenuous pedalling!

“When doing my initial market research, I noticed there was a lack of outdoor activities available for older people within the city so I wanted to close this gap and offer them the same experience and enjoyment.

“Riding on the tri-shaw gives you the freedom that comes with being on a bike outdoors with the security that a reliable, safe person is in charge behind the wheel.”

The Joy Rides project resumed in June, and aims to allow residents and other customers to filter back into their local communities without stress or unease following months of lockdown.

Lissa, said: “There are a host of positive mental, physical and social benefits that come from getting elderly people out in the fresh air, especially as many have not left the home for a long period of time.

“During the trip residents are encouraged to socialise with others from different parts of the home and are often keen to have a chat with locals.”

Residents often request the cycle to go along Cramond promenade to view parts of the city they don’t often see, such as the view to the Forth Bridges in Queensferry and across the water to Fife.

Between every session the tri-shaw bike is thoroughly cleaned, on top of this both the driver and passengers are required to wear a mask during the trip with health and safety being paramount.

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 bespoke care.

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

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