Activities at Strachan House Care Home

The residents here at Strachan house had a go at creating our very own bauble cone Christmas centrepieces! We had warm and cool colour themes, and the ladies did an amazing job bringing them together. As we discussed our childhood Christmases, favourite festive meals and families, we found that our bonds strengthened…perhaps coming together a little bit better than the clue holding our centre pieces together! We had many laughs as our works of art wobbled and swayed, yet we eventually got them to hold together and what an amazing outcome. A great morning of laughter and creativity.

Some of our residents were able to attend a wonderful morning at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre for the festive ‘Mistletoe and Jam’ session! It was so much fun to have a dance with some Nursery children to Christmas classics, pop crackers and eat mince pies. The best part was to get our bodies moving to great music whilst meeting new people! It’s integral to maintain ties with our community, and what a beautiful community it is. Everyone was so warm and welcoming, we thank the amazing team who put the event together and we cannot wait for the next one!

It was a beautiful crisp evening and our residents were donning their warmest clothing…all in the name of what could disputably be the favourite meal for most, a good fish and chips! We took the mini-bus down to South Queensferry where we all chose our favourite meals, the delicious smells tantalised our taste buds as we looked out onto the water, looking at the bridges, the lights and the trains crossing over the water. There was momentary silence while every dug into their meals, enjoyment in every mouthful! It was a very relaxing time and everyone headed home extremely satisfied.

Across our homes we got into the Christmas spirit of things by joining a festive live virtual experience, led by Des and Kelly from Performing Pets.

Our residents were thrilled to meet the charming furry friends and get up close and personal with the reindeers.

We certainly learnt some interesting facts about the animals and had a fantastic time.

As we deep dive into autumn, the residents have found inspiration in nature. Our garden is full of vibrant reds, oranges and yellows and we used these colours to create some beautiful paintings! We sat together as a group, discussing our inspiration whilst looking outside the window into the garden. Some residents painted what they saw; the trees, the leaves, the sky and the greenery, whilst some residents reminisced about places where they often visited, or where they grew up, and decided to paint these landscapes. We were blown away by the talent and diversity of the artworks created. A very lovely afternoon indeed.

Strachan House has had some wonderful wee visitors this month! Our neighbours at Blackhall Primary School popped by for an afternoon of learning, sharing of stories, ideas, and of course, lots of smiles. P7 prepared very interesting presentations on a significant person or event from the past - we were blown away by their charisma and insight, not to mention how well-mannered everyone was! Each student took the time to present to, and interact with the residents. The afternoon was extremely meaningful; promoting inter-generational connections, sharing of experiences, lessons and knowledge. We very much look forward to future visits from the students, and to seeing everyone again soon.