Activities at Strachan House Care Home

Staff at Strachan House Care Home in Edinburgh swapped their uniforms for costumes on National Elf Day (Friday December 3) in an effort to raise funds to help people living with dementia.

Launched by the Alzheimer’s Society and delivered direct from the North Pole, Elf Day was created to sprinkle some festive cheer on fundraising towards finding a cure for dementia. From stripy socks to head-to-toe elf outfits, anything goes – there’s snow better way to raise money to help beat dementia.

On the day, residents and staff at Strachan House Care Home were able to enjoy elf-themed games including as the team at the home donned their elfish apparel.

Our residents were thrilled to join Antonia Keaney - Blenheim Palace’s Historian for an intriguing virtual talk on Winston Churchill.

The private resources of Blenheim Palace were drawn upon to afford very new and refreshing insights into this remarkable man. During the talk Antonia shared fascinating information about the breadth of talent, achievement and personality of the "Greatest Briton": soldier, politician, statesman, painter, writer, orator, family man - and bricklayer!

We all had a wonderful time and enjoyed learning more about UK’s former Prime Minister.

Strachan House Care Home in Edinburgh commemorated Remembrance Day on Sunday 14 November.  They joined the rest of the United Kingdom in holding a two-minute silence at 11am.

As well as marking Remembrance Day by wearing poppies and watching the televised service from The Cenotaph, residents took part in therapeutic activities Include making poppy displays/listening to old wartime songs, we also had a wonderful opportunity to join the English national ballet virtually as we commemorate remembrance day with a special interactive dance workshop, mini – performance, and singalong.

We were delighted to join Blooming Haus’s Christmas Wreath Making Masterclass, where Master Florist, Michal and his business partner - Michael showed us the best method to create beautiful festive wreaths.

Following the tips and ideas learnt during the amazing virtual experience, we were happy to put our skills to a test and to enter the #BarchesterChristmasWreaths competition.

We all had a wonderful time creating our festive wreath/s.

Thank you @bloominghaus for helping our residents flow into the true spirit of Noel.

We celebrated Remembrance Day with English National Ballet Associate Dance Artist, Richard Bermange, who led a creative dance workshop for our residents followed by a special extract of Akram Khan’s work Dust, premiered in 2014 as part of ENB’s Lest We Forget programme, commemorating the First World War.

ENB company dancers, Erina Takahashi and James Streeter performed the extract and provided some insight into this moving work.

Our residents had a wonderful time as they listened, danced and were able to singalong to famous war time music performed by ENB Associate Musician, Matt Hartley-Stevens.

Strachan House Care Home in Edinburgh commemorated the signing of the Armistice Day agreement on the day that the guns finally fell silent. They joined the rest of the United Kingdom in holding a two-minute silence at the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month.

As well as marking Armistice Day by wearing poppies and observing the national two minute silence, residents took part in therapeutic activities Include making poppy displays/listening to old wartime songs, we also had a wonderful opportunity to join the English national ballet virtually as we commemorate remembrance day with a special interactive dance workshop, mini – performance, and singalong.

Mary Grieve a resident at Strachan House Care Home said: “It is very important that we keep the memories of those who fought alive and that we also think about those involved in conflicts around the world today.”