Activities at Lochduhar Care Home

Before lockdown, children from North West Nursery visited the residents on a weekly basis. Both generations working together has a huge benefit to both age groups. The residents really missed the children coming in to do activities with them. The nursery children sent the residents their lockdown diary. This was a book of all the lovely things they had been doing at home when they couldn’t go to nursery or see their friends. Now the children are back at nursery, residents are now skyping the nursery children on a weekly basis. Each week they have a theme and they can chat about different things.

Ellie Activity Coordinator said “It is so lovely to see how the residents and children react when they see each other on the tablet screen. The residents asked the children if they would draw them all pictures to put up in the home. It’s so nice to still be able to have a connection with the nursery during these uncertain times”. Residents and the nursery children took it in turns to sing songs to each other on the first skype call. One of the residents said “ It’s great to see their wee faces, I wish they could come over here and we could play together

Lochduhar celebrated World Alzheimer’s day on the 21st of September. Residents enjoyed looking at their photographs and reminiscing about memories from the past. One resident commented on one of his photos “That’s my family, look at the boys they look so happy”. It was a really nice afternoon and residents showed each other their photographs and had a good chat over a cuppa.

With lockdown restrictions, Birthday celebrations aren't quite what everyone had planned but here at Lochduhar resident Jane celebrated her birthday in style by enjoying a walk in the homes garden and picking a bunch of heather she had spotted to have her room.

Residents and staff also joined together in singing the birthday girl a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday.

Residents at Lochduhar enjoyed the iconic dish of Fish and Chips, with a range of activities on FRYDAY 4th September.

National Fish and Chip day has returned for the 5th year running with the popular dish being served daily in fish & chip shops, pubs, restaurants, and hotels, by the fishermen and farmers who provide the sustainable and natural ingredients used to create it. On this day the nation will be enjoying this iconic family favourite which is traditionally eaten on a Friday.

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!