Activities at Highview House Care Home

Residents and staff at Highview House care home in Inverness dressed to impress, donned their best hats and outfits, studied the form guide and had their bets at the ready for the 2025 Grand National, which ran on Saturday, April 5th.

Along with visitors and staff, residents got together to watch the big race, and celebrated in style by having a glass of prosecco and indulging in a buffet produced by the in-house catering team, and taking part in not one but two sweepstakes, raising money for the Highview House Residents’ Comfort Fund.  A photo booth allowed residents and family members to create keepsakes of the day, while visitors to the home were encouraged to dress up for the occasion, with some donning jodhpurs and riding helmets. 

Fergal Naughton, head of the ‘Memory Lane’ dementia unit which hosted the party, said: “The Grand National is a household tradition for millions of folks, and our residents are no different.  Some of us love horse racing, while others don’t know one end of the horse from the other.  But at the end of the day, we were able to raise money for the residents’ fund while having a great time.”

With spring on the way, our residents’ Gardening Club will soon be picking their trowels for the new season. Working with volunteer gardeners and our kitchen team, our residents oversee both the sensory garden and the kitchen garden, preparing gardens with both practical and relaxation benefits.  

Our home is just ten minutes’ drive from the Botanical Gardens, so inspiration is never far away.  With the warmer weather, it provides another opportunity to get outside and also to continue long-practiced hobbies.  

And for others, learn a new skill!

Our regular quiz events at Highview provide a chance for residents to participate in competitive and fun events against friends and other Barchester care homes.  Using our multimedia technology, our quizzes are a chance for residents, friends and family to interact, compete, and demonstrate their expertise in a range of topics and quiz styles.

Quizzes include themed day events, general knowledge and even special UK-wide events based on well-known television game shows, and run on a weekly basis at the home. Quizzes are adapted to take account of residents’ mobility, and are suitable for all levels of visual and audible awareness.  

Keeping up appearances is an important part of life at Highview. Residents want to look their best in order to feel their best. That’s why our in-house hairdresser, Cath, is so important. Not only is she a professional hairdresser, she’s also a fine singer, and keeps residents entertained while she cuts their hair in the comfort of our purpose-built salon, or in the privacy of their rooms if preferred.  

At Highview, we have a number of service providers who visit the home regularly, and become members of the Highview family in no time. From health and beauty, to eye and dental check-ups, you’ll see the same familiar, friendly faces on any visit to Highview.  

One of the roles of activities at Highview is to keep families in contact with each other. Therefore, friends and families are always invited to any of our events.  Accordingly, we organise events that celebrate families, marriages and friendships.  In this vein, the recent Valentine's Day Bake-Off and coffee morning saw loved ones from across the country join residents for a day of home baked goodies and sweet treats.   Residents were delighted to spend the morning with their spouses, children and friends, and tucked in to a high quality feast, home baked by staff, residents and family.

Our themed days are held throughout the year, and regular coffee mornings are arranged to ensure that the home is open to, and visible to, both families and the local community.  

At Highview House, we are proud to maintain close relationships with the surrounding community. We are fortunate enough to be located just a few minutes’ walk from Muirtown Primary School, and their pupils are regular and popular visitors to the home.

Pupils from the school pop in to perform a variety of activities alongside residents, including storytelling, Easter egg hunting and performing songs.  These events are great fun for both age groups, and help to destigmatise dementia and care homes in the eyes of the youngest generation.