Tag: care home

Local care home goes green on St Patrick’s Day

Residents and staff at Strachan House in Edinburgh celebrated all things Irish for St Patrick’s Day last week.

The home was decorated with colourful green white and orange designs and Irish music rang out from all the corridors.

Mandy, Head of Activities, said: “We love a party at Strachan House and St Patricks Day is always a popular celebration to open our doors and welcome everyone in from the community to join in with our residents and staff”.

Held on March 17th, Saint Patrick’s Day actually observes the death of St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, but the day has come to be a huge celebration of Irish heritage and culture.

Staff and residents at the home marked the day by learning about the history as well as many green themed antics. From making shamrock decorations, learning some Irish words and phrases, themed menu and landing a good old knees up party.

Mr and Mrs Barrie who reside at Strachan House, have been together for 70 years and demonstrated you’re never too old to have a good time. Mrs Barrie said “it was lovely to spend an evening with my husband, although I think he preferred the Guinness he was holding in his hand rather than me in the other” 

General Manager, Gordon Philp said: “Our residents have all had a brilliant day today, everyone has enjoyed the festivities – I think we all agree St Patrick’s Day is the best of all the saints’ days!  We had a fantastic time at our Irish party and sampling a few Guinnesses!”

Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.

Strachan House is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering high-quality care across its care homes and hospitals. Strachan House provides nursing care, residential care, respite care.

Local care home resident David gets his show on the road

Strachan House resident David Radin had always wanted to attend the theatre to watch a show stopper one last time, so staff at the home made his wish come true with their Gone Fishing 23 project.

David has lived at Strachan House or for little over a year and is an inspiration in his singing ability. David was an influential part of the theatre and amateur dramatic societies in his younger days and can always be heard belting out tunes with his incredible voice.

Mandy Burgen, Head of Activities, said: “His love of all musicals was something we needed to tap into for David so we surprised him with an evening at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh to watch a much loved favourite The Buddy Holly Story”.

Staff wanted David’s dream to come true, as they knew how much it meant to him. David’s wonderful smile said it all when he was given his ticket and whisked away for a night at his beloved stomping ground.

Staff first found out about David’s dream when he moved in and, ever since then, they have been dedicated to helping him achieve what is so dear to him. David was also accompanied by staff, who were very keen to support him in this momentous occasion.

In response to this wonderful surprise, David said: “I was astounded by the kindness and never thought I’d be back inside a theatre again. It was truly special and something I won’t forget in a hurry”.

He added “I was so spoilt the whole evening and the musical itself left me remembering why I love singing so much.”

Gordon Philp, General Manager at the home, said: “We want everyone we care for to know how important they are to us here at Strachan House and our Gone Fishing project 23 proves that. It was so nice to see how happy David was and the staff loved being a part of this as well.”

Strachan House care home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals. Strachan House provides residential care, nursing care and dementia care for 83 residents from respite care to long term stays.

Local care home ladies glam it up for International Women’s Day

Residents at Strachan House in Blackhall marked International Women’s Day yesterday by spending the day celebrating the achievements of wonderful trail-blazing women throughout history.

This special day takes place on March 8th every year to celebrate women’s rights and inspire people to fight for gender equality.  A United Nations-sanctioned global holiday, it celebrates women’s contributions to society, raises awareness about the fight for gender parity and inspires support for organisations that support women globally.

Residents afterwards enjoyed complete pamper sessions and makeover to inspire others that you’re never too old to look your best. The afternoon saw many of the home’s women get together over an afternoon tea specially put on to mark the day and their life achievements.

Gordon Philp General Manager at Strachan House said: “We’ve all had a really interesting day thinking about the very many brilliant women who have had such an impact on our lives, whether that was an historic figure or people in our own family. 

“It was good to share our experiences, take stock and reflect on how much society has changed over the years.”

Edinburgh Care Home raises the bar with new social activity

Friday pub nights introduced to help improve quality of life for care residents

RESIDENTS at an Edinburgh care home have been enjoying a night at the pub – without even having to leave the development. 

Dedicated staff at Cramond Residence launched ‘Friday Pub Nights’ in a bid to engage residents in a social event imitating what they would ordinarily experience in their own home lives.

A pub environment with simulated pub seating, a bar, music, Sports TV and table games has been set up within the home.

Residents have used this activity to engage in lively and meaningful debates about current and past affairs, as well as enjoying a good sing-song to a wide range of music.

Garylee Rushforth, one of Cramond Residence’s Lifestyle Co-ordinators, said: “The pub nights are designed to help to combat loneliness, whilst also improving our residents’ quality of life.

“We are one of a few care home’s offering evening activities as we feel it is important for the independence and wellbeing of our residents.

“Old traditions have certainly not been forgotten at our pub nights, and frequently the first drink of the evening is welcomed with a Scots toast.”

The new activity, which occurs every Friday evening between 7pm and 9pm, has proven a hit with residents, having already developed around eight regulars.

Christian Daraio, Cramond Residence’s Client Liaison Manager, said: “The pandemic highlighted the negative effects of social isolation and loneliness, so in our care home, we have endeavoured to create a highly-enriching social calendar that fosters social interaction and enjoyment, ensuring that every resident feels involved in our small community.

“Our lifestyle coordinators have worked hard to put together an extensive activities programme and other activities offered include baking, painting, pet therapy and cheese and wine nights, to name a few!”.

All activities are optional, with residents being able to dip in and out of the daily excursions and classes. Nonetheless, participation in a few activities every week is encouraged by the Cramond Residence team to ensure residents make the most out of the offerings from the care home.

Launched in 2018, Cramond Residence offers uncompromising nurse-led care, as well as specialist services such as respite and dementia care. The care home currently has 74 residents spread across nine luxuriously-appointed homes.

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.

Each resident also receives a personal care plan from health care professionals which is continually assessed and revised, ensuring that residents have access to the best possible level of care.

Cramond Residence offer tours of their quality accommodation and facilities in the north of Edinburgh. The tour allows potential residents and their loved ones to see the residence for themselves, meet the team and discuss any additional requirements.

New recruit strengthens Edinburgh home’s activity calendar

Language classes now available to care residents following appointment

Pensioners at a care residence in Edinburgh are being offered the opportunity to learn a new skill thanks to the home’s newest recruit.

Since joining Cramond Residence, Garylee Rushforth from Dunfermline has already made his mark by introducing a selection of language classes. The 34-year-old has drawn on his knowledge from living in a selection of European cities and speaks fluent German, Polish and is currently learning Scottish Gaelic.

Garylee has worked in the sector for over six years and most recently played a key role in planning and delivering meaningful activities for patients at an Acute Dementia unit in the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

Now settled into the job, Garylee has been playing a central role in designing the home’s rich and engaging activities programme aimed at stimulating the mind.

He said: “My aim is to bring a structured approach to the way activities at Cramond are planned, led and delivered, ensuring that each activity contributes to each resident’s care plan while also being fun.

“My first six weeks have been a whirlwind. Cramond is a great place to work with lots of opportunities to develop my skills, share my experience and play a part in the wider care of our residents.

“As I’ve lived in a selection of countries, I know how fun it is to learn new languages and this is a passion and skill of mine that I really felt like I could bring to the table in my new role. The addition of language classes into the activities rota will be highly beneficial for the residents.

“Cramond is one of the very few care homes that really does structure itself around its residents’ wishes and needs. Emphasis is placed on ensuring residents are given the opportunity to input, consult on and determine the direction of all aspects of their care.”

Amongst other therapeutic and managerial roles, Garylee previously worked for the NHS where he delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to patients across the region, with particular focus on mental health and addiction.

Garylee continued: “Cramond is like no other healthcare facility – the luxury surroundings make it feel more like a five-star hotel with care provision.

“The highlight of my time here so far has been seeing residents who would not normally engage in certain activities do so through relationship building, encouragement and measured and supported risk-taking.

“You just can’t beat seeing a resident come alive with emotion and energy after taking part in an activity that we have organised for them.”

Garylee will be contributing to Cramond’s bustling activities and excursions rota, which will see a pizza making masterclass, beer and gin samplings and a trip to the Living Memory shop in Ocean Terminal take place in July.

Established in 2018 at a cost of £8m and 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.

The home provides a range of activities specially designed to give residents a richer and more satisfying life, with specialist facilities and trained staff on hand to provide support & relief.

Cramond Residence offers high quality care for up to 74 residents offering a small-group living concept in nine houses, with all residents enjoying an exceptional range of amenities and activities, delicious food and bespoke care from a highly-trained team.

Prices at the home start from £1,950 per week.

To find out more about Cramond Residence, visit: cramondresidence.co.uk/ or contact enquiries@cramondresidence.co.uk.

Care home residents take a trip down memory lane

Valuable memory enhancing skills combat frustration for Edinburgh residents

WORKSHOPS to assist residents with memory skills have been introduced as the latest feature at a care home in Edinburgh.

With memory retention and recall being one of the leading causes of distress for the elderly, Cramond Residence has started offering memory sessions to help relieve these frustrations especially for residents with impaired cognitive function, those living with dementia and recurring memory decline.

To encourage engagement, the home’s lifestyle team keep group sizes small and use a variety of techniques incorporating visual elements such as playing cards, dominoes, flipcharts and photographs.

Lifestyle coordinator at Cramond Residence, Garylee Rushforth, said: “It was a natural next step for Cramond Residence to start providing these beneficial sessions to the residents.

“An impaired ability to recall information and events can lead to severe confusion, disorientation and a dissociation from a person’s own sense of self which is why we felt that it was so important that we fully engage with cognitive activities that can help to strengthen memory processes.

“In these sessions, we teach residents how to actively recall information in the short-term. Flashcards are used to display information and then the coordinators work with residents to teach them verbalised, visual and auditory recall skills related to this information.

“Processing the information given in a variety of mediums provides residents with multiple avenues to recall short term information easier. Carrying these out regularly will expand the memory bank and reduce time needed during the recall process.”

Cramond Residence’s team of lifestyle coordinators have created an exciting and varied programme of activities and workshops, all with the aim of providing its residents with a sense of independence and fun, as well a valuable life skills. 

Garylee continued: “The memory sessions have been a great hit and we have received some fantastic feedback from residents so far and it’s a delight to help residents on this journey and see their individual progress.

“We engage with residents that attend outside of the sessions and test their memory skills on the go and have witnessed a greater ability to recall conversations and instructions in other workshops too which is brilliant to see.”

Cramond Residence, launched in 2018, has provided small-group living for up to 74 residents in nine luxuriously-appointed accommodation with the highest quality of care.

The highly-trained team organises exciting activities and excursions for their residents and offer specialised and individually tailored care in respite, recuperation and dementia care provision.

The medication and care provided is based on a detailed personal care plan, which is continually assessed and revised by health care professionals and other experts to ensure that the best possible care is being delivered.

The luxury home will continue to channel its efforts into improving the quality of life for its residents by introducing more innovative workshops and ideas.

To find out more about Cramond Residence, call 0131 341 4037 or visit:

https://cramondresidence.co.uk/

Cramond’s Got Talent: Residents take centre stage at city care home

Excited contestants vie for the ‘Golden Buzzer’ at Cramond home’s talent show

RESIDENTS at a luxurious Edinburgh care home put on their dancing shoes and warmed up their vocal cords in anticipation of the home’s talent show.

‘Cramond’s Got Talent’ was the latest addition to Cramond Residence’s activities rota, with the aim of encouraging residents to lead fun and fulfilling lives.  

At least 10 of the home’s residents and staff members took centre stage to perform in front of a judging panel which also consisted of six residents.

Many of the performances included tributes to bands such as ABBA, whilst one resident showcased traditional Spanish dancing and another performed a piano symphony.

The idea for Cramond’s Got Talent came from one of the home’s Lifestyle Coordinator’s, Garylee Rushforth. He said: “It was great to see the residents and staff members at Cramond let their hair down and fully immerse themselves in the experience.

“The residents were really excited and couldn’t wait to witness the array of talent that was to be showcased from not only their fellow residents, but also their favourite key workers.

“Each member of the panel had their own unique judging style as they all have a range of different backgrounds and life experiences, consisting of a dance teacher, a former RAF engineer, a pianist and singer to name a few.

“One of the residents was set on taking a Simon Cowell type approach in their judging style, which certainly made for an entertaining show!”

Activities are resident-led and aim to make life as fun and fulfilling as possible. The Lifestyle Team are continually looking for new exciting and engaging activities to implement into each month’s carefully-planned programme.

Facilities provided include a cinema and function room, a dedicated games room and also a sensory experience which offers therapeutic activities for those with dementia.

Garylee continued: “The vast array of offerings at Cramond really is exceptional. I love seeing the joy on our resident’s faces when they are participating and having fun during one of the planned sessions.”

Located in Cramond, the care home was launched in 2018 to offer uncompromising nurse-led care, as well as respite and dementia specialist services, and provides small-group living for up to 74 residents in nine luxuriously-appointed homes.

Cramond Residence offer tours of their quality accommodation and facilities, allowing potential residents and loved ones to see the residence for themselves, meet the team and discuss requirements.

To find out more, call 0131 341 4037 or visit https://cramondresidence.co.uk/

Cramond residents put their feet up at new care home salon

CARE residents have been offered the chance to indulge in an immersive salon experience as part of an activities rota aimed at improving residents’ wellbeing.

Cramond Residence has transformed one of its activity rooms into a purpose-built salon with a host of spa mornings planned throughout the month.

The indulgent experience will see residents drifting away to peaceful spa music while enjoying a hand or foot massage from experienced therapists.

Spa day at Cramond Residence

Garylee Rushford, Lifestyle Coordinator at Cramond Residence, said: “The spa mornings are designed to be a relaxing and sensory experience bringing joy to our resident’s day while improving their overall wellbeing.

“At Cramond, we try to ensure that we bring a homely sense into every aspect of our care. We believe that residents shouldn’t forgo any of the activities that they might have previously enjoyed.

“No one should have to miss out on the benefits of a well-deserved massage. Not only will it help soothe the residents’ joints and muscles, but it will also help them switch off and forget about the stress of daily life.”

Included in the home’s current offering for residents and curated by its dedicated lifestyle team are bespoke physiotherapy sessions provided by boutique experts.  The home combines luxury hotel living with the reassuring feeling of being in your own home.

Its jam-packed excursions and activities rota is centred around providing residents with fun and fulfilling lives with offerings aimed at stimulating both the mind and body.

Spa day at Cramond Residence

Garylee added: “Our residents are encouraged to take things at their own pace and there is always something to see and do – whether it’s taking part in a class or other activity, going out on an excursion, being pampered in our luxury salon, or enjoying a film in the cinema.”

Located in Cramond to the north of the city, the care home was launched in 2018 to offer uncompromising nurse-led care, as well as respite and dementia specialist services, and provides small-group living for up to 74 residents in nine luxuriously-appointed homes.

Cramond Residence offer tours of their quality accommodation and facilities, allowing potential residents and loved ones to see the residence for themselves, meet the team and discuss requirements.

To find out more, call 0131 341 4037 or visit https://cramondresidence.co.uk/

Edinburgh care home ignites intergeneration with school visit

Relationships built at ‘Fun Day’ as home hosts students from Fettes College

A partnership between one of Edinburgh’s most up-market care homes and a prestigious local school sees residents and students uniting for a fun day of intergenerational interaction.

14 students, aged 16-17, from Fettes College visited Cramond Residence as volunteers, where they were able to form connections with the residents across various activities taking place on each floor of the home, including arts and crafts, nail painting and gentle exercise classes.

The event was organised as an opportunity for the school and care home to come together and build relationships that are beneficial for both residents and students.

Craigleith House Coordinator at Fettes College, Eileen Crawford, said: “The fun day was a huge success and we would like to thank Cramond Residence for giving the students a very enjoyable trip and a new learning experience – it was lovely to see bonds formed.

“At Fettes, we want to instil the importance of our students engaging with the community in a positive way and this fun day was the perfect opportunity. The students had a great time and many of them have expressed their desire in making a trip to Cramond a monthly activity.

“There is so much that the younger generation can learn from the older – their world experience is invaluable to our young people taking the first steps in their own lives.

“This event marked the start of a new partnership between Fettes and Cramond, and some students will continue volunteering at the home for their Duke of Edinburgh awards.”

Cramond Residence prides itself on the vast array of exciting activities that its residents can take part in and enjoy, with the Fettes College Fun Day being one of the latest additions to the home’s bustling monthly program.

Designed to promote independent living and socialisation, the fun day saw residents at the home exchanging vibrant life stories with the students while basking outside in the sun, or indulging in a spot of pampering, painting and games.

Client Liaison Manager at Cramond Residence, Christian Daraio, said: “It was an incredible day for everyone involved and the students put a huge smile on the residents’ faces.

“Connecting with the wider community helps eliminate the feelings of isolation that are common in the older generation.

“These events are important for fostering intergenerational engagement that play such a big role in the positive mental health of our residents. We are looking forward to welcoming the students back for more volunteering at the home.”

Cramond Residence, launched in 2018, has provided small-group living for up to 74 residents in nine luxuriously-appointed accommodation with the highest quality of care.

The highly-trained team organises exciting activities and excursions for their residents and offer specialised and individually tailored care in respite, recuperation and dementia care provision.

The care and support provided is based on a detailed personal care plan, which is continually assessed and revised by health care professionals and other experts to ensure that the best possible care is being delivered.

The luxury home will continue to channel its efforts into improving the quality of life for its residents by introducing more innovative workshops and ideas.

To find out more about Cramond Residence, call 0131 341 4037 or visit:

https://cramondresidence.co.uk/

Edinburgh care home welcomes visitors with open arms

Cramond Residence showcase facilities at first Open Day since pandemic

A CARE HOME to the north of the capital is hosting an open day for members of the public to visit for the first time in three years.

Visitors will be welcomed to Cramond Residence on 29 October between 9 am and 1 pm for a unique viewing of the five-star ensuite bedrooms and to find out more about the care services and range of activities on offer.

As well as showcasing the home itself, the open day will provide the opportunity to meet the home’s dedicated team of care and lifestyle staff while also indulging in homemade nibbles.

Client Liaison Manager, Christian Daraio, said: “The open day will allow visitors to see first-hand what makes Cramond Residence different to other care homes in and around the city.

“These events are great as there is first-hand information available and visitors have the opportunity to ask questions and gain reassurance as well as visit a show room, so that they know exactly what they will be getting.

“If you’re interested in downsizing or finding suitable care needs for your loved one, come along and check out the facilities we have to offer – they really need to be seen to be fully appreciated.”

Cramond Residence is a purpose-built care home created at a cost of £8m and opened in October 2018. It combines luxury, five-star accommodation with outstanding clinical standards – with places available from £1,950 per week and capacity for up to 74 residents.

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. This is believed to have played a major role in infection control during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The home also provides a range of activities specially designed to give those living with dementia a richer and more satisfying life, with specialist facilities and trained staff on hand to provide support & relief.

To find out more about Cramond Residence, visit: cramondresidence.co.uk/ or contact enquiries@cramondresidence.co.uk.