Activities at Lochduhar Care Home

Excitement is running high at Lochduhar Care Home in Dumfries where the talented residents have been named the winners of the annual Barchester Christmas Cake competition for the Northwest and Midland Division.

Each year residents from Barchester’s care homes and hospitals up and down the country compete for the coveted Christmas cake of the Year title.  The competition is run by the central hospitality team and the bar is set very high. Many of Barchester’s residents are very skilled bakers and the Christmas cake designs can be very elaborate.  Competition is fierce and only the very best recipes and designs will prevail.

We have been doing some Christmas arts and crafts here at Lochduhar.

Some of our residents really enjoy getting arty and for them it was a great time to do so. They designed their own Christmas cards and their reindeer, with glitter and some wonderful Christmassy colours. We sang along to the Christmas songs on the radio and enjoyed some festive treats made by our kitchen team.

Here at Lochduhar we have The Northwest Nursery school children visit us every Friday morning.

The residents look forward to seeing the children, the residents and the children’s faces light up when they enter our home.

They all interact well, together and this week we had a pamper session. Firstly the children sang their hello song, we then had a 5 minute Oomph on Demand chair based exercise session, then it was our pamper. The residents put some hand cream on and the children and rubbed it in. Then there was a choice of nail varnish to choose from, they all then started to colour the residents nails and then it was the children turn. What fun we all had and we are looking forward to seeing the children again soon.

After 30 years of continuous service at Lochduhar Care Home in Dumfries, much-loved Senior Carer, Margaret Muir has decided to retire.

Staff and residents at the home sent Margaret off in style with champagne, flowers and gifts to thank her for 30 years of dedication and also celebrate her well-deserved retirement. Residents, families and staff all have very fond memories of Margaret and these will continue to be shared even after she has retired.

Residents and colleagues from Lochduhar care home, in Dumfries, enjoyed their recent visit to Mossburn Community Farm. They were pleasantly surprised to see animals such as horses, cows, sheep and goats and have the opportunity to be up alongside them.

Mossburn Community Farm was established in 1990 to provide help for misused, unwanted and neglected horses and ponies. This original remit was later widened and they now care for a range of farm and domestic animals. The team at the farm is dedicated to ensuring that the care and well-being of all their animals is of the highest standard at all times.

Celebrations have been in full swing at Lochduhar Care Home, as one of its residents reaches her 90th birthday in style.  Anna Grant was joined by family, staff and other residents as she celebrated her 90th birthday. She enjoyed it when staff sang ’Happy Birthday’ to her and she particularly enjoyed opening her cards and gifts and eating a slice of her special birthday cake.

Gillian Ward, General Manager of Barchester Lochduhar care Home added: “We’ are all delighted to be celebrating with Anna as she reaches her 90th birthday. Anna is such a popular resident who always enjoys having a chat with staff. Our activities team and care staff worked hard to provide a special birthday party for Anna and her family”