When Balhousie Luncarty, Perthshire, took part in the Community Teddy Bears’ Picnic, one of the residents was sure of a big surprise.
They were invited to join in the fun, along with the children from the Honeypots Nursery and residents from Glenhelenbank Care Home. Activities Coordinator, Carla McCorquodale, took a number of her residents along – Morag, Pat, John and Faye – with no idea of the impact their visit would have.
While enjoying the wonderful community event, another visitor came to Carla to ask if the resident with her might be Faye Smethhurst. Faye, it emerged, was the best friend of the gentleman’s mother from childhood. Faye immediately recognised Ralf and knew him to be Alice’s son. Ralf explained, with some excitement, his Mum, Alice was also at the event, as a resident at Glenhelenbank. However, she now suffered with advanced dementia. As she was mostly unable to recognise him, he was doubtful she would remember Faye.
And then a very special moment happened. The minute Faye went across to Alice, she took Faye’s hand in hers, her face lit up and she said, “Faye, I’ve missed you”.
Through the simplest of community activities, and the support of our brilliant Activities Coordinators, the most precious of memories are often made.
Carla told us, “Myself and Ralf got quite emotional. We all had a lovely chat and made arrangements to get three of the friends together again very soon. The third member of the childhood ‘gang’, Dorreen, is also a resident at Glenhelenbank. It was so wonderful to see the old friends just sat next to each other holding hands and smiling remembering the good old days.”
At this Teddy Bears’ Picnic, there may have been ‘lots of marvelous things to eat and wonderful games to play’, but most of all, there were precious friendships to rekindle and treasure.
