Activities at Fordmill Care Home

What a fantastic afternoon celebrating our Grade 6!

Staff, residents, families and friends gathered together to celebrate such an amazing achievement.  It was a fantastic atmosphere and everyone had a lovely time.  There's always room for improvement so next time we are aiming for two 6's ..

Well done everyone!  Very well deserved! 

Across our homes we’ve had the most wonderful time celebrating the festive season with a special screening of 2020’s OLD VIC: IN CAMERA – A Christmas Carol.

This beautifully staged production brought the magic of Dickens’ classic tale right into our homes. A huge thank you to The Old Vic theatre for sharing this incredible performance with us. It was a truly wonderful experience. 

Staff and residents across our homes were treated to an interactive virtual Christmas-inspired table decorating masterclass, courtesy of talented master florist, Kathryn Delve.  

Kathryn is an independent florist based in Somerset, she specialises in creating unique wedding and event flowers.  She takes much of her inspiration for her displays from the beautiful scenery that surrounds her home and the changing seasons and colours.

During the workshop, residents were invited to join Kathryn to make beautiful Christmas-themed table decorations. 
 

Our residents enjoyed being children again and the excitement that fireworks and sparklers can bring.  They all got wrapped up and went out to our garden where we enjoyed listening to the local fireworks going off around us as we all relived the magic of sparklers and drawing shapes in the night sky.  Many family members also joined in. 

Staff even did a sparkler dance for those who wished to stay inside and watch from the window.  And does hot chocolate and marshmallows taste any better than when out in the cold?  Residents reminisced of taking their children to local bonfires and the smell of smoke in the crisp air.  Marion said “there’s something magical about the way the sparks dance, this is so nice”.

We annually do a Remembrance Service for our fallen heroes and this allows all our residents to honour this memorable occasion.  Residents, family and friends went outdoors and listened to Lathallan Pipe Band whilst some took their part and recited Flanders Field for the visiting crowd.  Our home was lit special for the occasion with the poppy fields projected onto the building.  

We also honoured the fallen animals that played their part in the war effort and were visited by a Clydesdale horse, Maggie May, who went amongst the residents, bowing her head for petting and donning her purple poppies.  A bed-bound resident got the shock of his life though, when Maggie May walked into the home corridor and stuck her head into his room.  He couldn’t quite believe that we brought a Clydesdale horse into the home to see him as he couldn’t attend the service, and so could admire this beautiful animal in all her glory.  Ian said “thank you for letting me see her.  I got a scare thinking she’s never going to fit through the doorway but l really appreciate it and seeing her purple poppies.  My Dad would have loved that.”

Residents wanted to celebrate the decades and this time we boogied on down to the 70s.  We went more relaxed and chilled, hippy vibes with our décor and fancy dress with not one punk rocker in sight.  Residents put their requests in for some of the best songs of the decade to sing along to and everyone did some moves in their chairs and especially some impressions of John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. 

Residents got a laugh when some family members joined us on the dance floor for a boogie.  We then had a fantastic reminiscence session with a 70s quiz which brought up discussion of the fashions, household items and haircuts that were all on trend.  This is always very much enjoyed and sparks interest and different stories from residents for everyone to enjoy.