Tag: Glencairn Care Home

Care home residents seek pen pals to support language learning

Care home residents have put out a call for their foreign care home counterparts to get involved with an engaging new pen pal scheme. 

This cross-cultural endeavour aims to promote language learning and build meaningful friendships among seniors in both communities. 

The call comes after residents at Renaissance Care Group homes engaged in foreign language lessons with Glasgow based charity, Lingo Flamingo.  

Residents are now eager to expand their horizons and delve into the language learned through correspondence with pen pals from a care facility across the globe. 

The initiative not only provides an enriching language learning experience but also creates an opportunity for residents to share stories, experiences, and foster lasting connections across borders. 

Two residents of Renaissance Care’s Glencairn Care Home in Edinburgh, Tom Caskie, 83, and Charles Menzies, 86, started German lessons three months ago, building on a lifelong love of languages. 

Tom, 83, a retired civil engineer from Islay, first developed his love of languages after emigrating to Canada to pursue a career in civil engineering. He became fluent in French and picked up a good understanding of Italian and Spanish as he travelled the world, living in a variety of exotic locations, including East Pakistan, Tanzania and Nigeria. 

Tom said: “I’ve always been fascinated by different languages and cultures. I chose to learn German this time around as this was completely new challenge to me. The lessons have been incredibly interesting, including German geography, culture and music throughout. I find the culture fascinating and listening to more German music in my free time.  

“If I could give young people one piece of advice, it is to try and pick up a new language. It opens you up to a different world – there’s a whole new treasure chest of music, films and books out there to enjoy.” 

Joining Tom on his language learning mission is 86-year-old Charles Menzies. For Charles, the Lingo Flamingo sessions are a refresher on the German language, which he originally picked up while working in Germany as a teacher.  

A true language aficionado, Charles is also fluent in French and Russian, along with having a strong understanding of Spanish and Polish. 

Charles said: “The German lessons have made me feel nostalgic for my time in Germany as a young man. I loved living there and made so many happy memories. I very nearly never left!  

“It’s great to be using the language again. I look forward to our weekly lessons. They get your brain engaged and challenge you to think outside the box. That’s important to staying sharp.  

“My interest in languages has been a true asset throughout the years. I’ve been able to experience so much, like living in a foreign country independently, because of them. You never know where life is going to take you – a second language can open so many doors for you.” 

Activities like Lingo Flamingo are central to Renaissance Care’s wellbeing strategy. Residents are encouraged and supported to take part in events that are tailored to their specific needs and interests, benefitting both their physical and mental health. 

Jozi Stables, care home manager at Glencairn said: “Charlie and Tom are proof that it is never too late to learn a new skill. 

“At Glencairn, we pride ourselves on catering to residents’ actual interests and hobbies. It’s all about creating meaningful activities that residents can fully engage with and feel fulfilled by. We try and facilitate any activity that our residents would be interested with – even if that is creating new friends across borders. No ask is too big or small for us.” 

Glencairn is a bespoke private residential home offering residents accommodation akin to that found in a small boutique-style hotel. It is located in the prestigious Grange area of Edinburgh and just a short walk to the popular Meadows.  

Glencairn Care Home is part of the Renaissance Care Group, it currently operates 17 homes located across Scotland and currently provides care provision for 760 residents and employs around 1,150 staff.  

Pen pal slots will be subject to availability across the 17 Renaissance Care owned homes. For more information, please contact renaissance@bigpartnership.co.uk. 

Care home residents make the most of Edinburgh’s glorious summer

Elderly residents at Glencairn Care Home in Edinburgh have been out enjoying the wonders of the capital this summer, with a programme of fun activities including rickshaw rides, theatre visits and musical performances.  

The care home residents, located at Marchmont, have a busy calendar of socialising and events to see them through the summer months as part of the home’s ongoing commitment to being a ‘people-first’ home that centres decisions around the needs of its residents.  

Exploring the streets of Edinburgh on pedal-powered rickshaw vehicles, the group have been experiencing the capital city at a much more leisurely pace while taking in the sites of the Meadows, Bruntsfield and Morningside.  

To ensure that the residents feel part of Edinburgh’s Fringe celebrations, the activities coordinators also arranged visits to shows throughout the month, while visits from a historian and a cello player have also been scheduled into the calendar of events.  

At Glencairn, as part of its people-first approach, residents are regularly consulted on the activities programme, asked for input and asked for reviews to determine what to plan and book next.  

The activity schedule has recently been awarded plaudits as part of the Care Inspectorate’s ongoing review programme. The home was awarded a rating of 5 which is considered ‘Very Good,’ scoring highly across areas including; care and wellbeing, leadership and meaningful contact.  

Debra Husband, Activities Coordinator, Glencairn Care Home, said: “We’ve had packed calendar of activities this summer which has been fantastic for the residents here at Glencairn. 

“The sun has been shining and it’s been fantastic to get out and about to enjoy the city. We’re so lucky to be located in the heart of Edinburgh and the rickshaw rides in particular have meant that we can take the residents out to enjoy and explore our surroundings on a regular basis.”  

Jozi Stables, Manager, Glencairn Care Home said: “Providing the residents of Glencairn with a full and enjoyable social calendar provides so much more than just a break from the daily routine of the home but it helps our residents to retain a sense of their identity, adventure and provides a rich and enjoyable life.  

“We pride ourselves on bringing unique experiences to the home and also creating fun and adventurous excursion for our residents. The activities feed into the overall care ethos we have here at Glencairn which is ensuring the needs of our residents come first and we work closely with them to design plans that suit their recreation, care and wellbeing needs.”  

The home, managed by Renaissance Care Homes, is one of sixteen homes located across Scotland and currently provides care provision for 26 residents.  

The care group which runs 16 homes across Scotland is known for its fun and inventive campaigns that engage residents and focus on bettering their health and wellbeing, as well as encouraging fun and physical activity, some of which includes hosting the Renaissance Care Olympic Games and an upcoming Foodies Festival.