Activities at Lochduhar Care Home

Having a few dog lovers here at Lochduhar, we had to celebrate international dog day. We decided we would have donation box where people could donate dog treats, food and toys. When it was full we took it to Dumfries and Galloway Canine Rescue Centre. The staff and dogs looked very happy to see us with a boxful of treats. We got to meet 3 of their dogs Dot, Domino and Nipper. These 3 dogs are inseparable and are looking for a loving home. A couple of our residents wrote the canine rescue centre postcards with lovely messages on them. One resident wrote “I used to have a dog when I was younger from a rescue centre so it is nice to give to the poor little dogs that have nothing”.

This a story of the past where two friends meet for the first time since their  teenage years. Residents,  Jessie and Gloria worked together in Binns department store many years ago and the home we delighted to bring them together again. It was a joy for everyone to see their reactions when they recognised each other and it was like they had just seen each other yesterday. They enjoyed the catch up and there will be many more cuppas together!   

Residents at Lochduhar have been hard at work creating cards to send to their loved ones as a surprise throughout lockdown. They have also been making use of skype and facetime so that they can video call their relatives – although some weren’t too sure about the new technology!

Resident, Ruth has been busy keeping in touch with her family and regularly uses skype to catch up with her husband which she really enjoys. Ruth is always full of smiles when she sees David on the screen. Ruth says “it is a great way to see David and speak to him in a way of keeping in touch”.  

Residents of Lochduhar have been busy growing their own fruit and vegetables as part of the homes gardening club and life enrichment programme.  Resident, David has been supporting with harvesting of their bumper crop of lettuces whilst enjoying the warm weather. 

For some residents at Lochduhar Nursing home in Dumfries, the long awaited reunion with family and friends became a reality recently, as garden visits have now been allowed to commence at the home.   There has been much careful planning and preparation for this moment behind the scenes at Barchester Healthcare, who run Lochduhar Nursing home. Social distancing was still in place, and homes that are able to take part must have a large accessible garden.

Gillian Ward, General Manager at the home, said: “This has been a much welcomed development in what have been very strange times. The visits are safe and organised, and it was wonderful to see how happy it made the residents. We will of course endeavour to keep up the high standards of care, and continue with our ever evolving life enrichment programme, to keep residents engaged. But this has been lovely to see everyone together again.”

Enid Mitchell resident at Lochduhar said: “It was so nice to see my niece again as it’s been a long time. She stays in Bristol so it’s a long way away!”.

Staff and residents at Lochduhar decided to join a virtual version of the popular horticultural show with their homemade version of the Hampton Garden Flower show, with each floor of the home creating their floral displays which were judged by General Manager, Gillian Ward and Deputy Home Manager, Kirstin Dalgarno. Everyone was a winner, with each floor receiving chocolates.