Care home residents have fun

A Hamilton care home has been keeping in good spirits during lockdown despite increased isolation.

Competitions, cake decorating and singing are just some of the activities taking place at Lornebank Care Centre to entertain some of the town’s elderly residents in recent months while the country fights the coronavirus crisis.

Visiting restrictions caused by the pandemic have meant residents at the care home have been more physically isolated than ever, but staff wisened up to this fast and have staged various activities to encourage connectivity, communications and friendship, despite physical separation.

Lornebank Care Centre’s priority has been ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all its residents and staff. Whilst the home’s units remain isolated from one another in the best interest of residents and staff, they have kept spirits alive at such a difficult time.

Each week all units have been taking part in some friendly competitions and the home has been firing up residents’ competitive spirit by establishing a Lornebank league table. These activities have included a Ready Steady Cook competition, in which residents enjoyed the opportunity to decorate cakes, a paint a pebble competition, which revealed some talented artists, and a choir competition, with each of the units enjoying a socially distanced sing song.

Daniel Jenks, home manager at Lornebank Care Centre, has been delighted at his team’s efforts looking after residents physical and mental health.

He said: “These light-hearted competitions have had such a great impact across our home.

“They have brought so much excitement and entertainment, whilst keeping us all united despite the physical distance.”