Residents from Balhousie Lisden Care Home in Kirriemuir had a fabulous trip to Deep Sea World this week.
Along-with supporting staff the group travelled to Scotland’s national aquarium to discover an exciting range of sea life and enjoyed a delicious lunch of Fish and Chips at Harry Ramsden’s in South Queensferry afterwards. They even found Nemo!
Staff and residents planned the trip together as part of a regular programme of days out supported by Oomph! an organisation working with Balhousie Care Group to deliver ‘meaningful moments’ and activity programmes for older people.
Madeana Laing, Care Home Manager at Balhousie Lisden said: “The trip was organised to allow a few of the residents to experience the new Queensferry Crossing in all its splendour. Harold’s father had been a concrete engineer during the construction of the rail bridge and Sheila had travelled over the rail bridge daily in 1945 to get to work, so there were happy memories for both of them.”
Oomph’s mission is to improve the wellbeing of older adults. They work with Balhousie’s 25 care homes offering fun exercise and activity sessions, as well as monthly trips out for residents, to a wide range of destinations in customised minibuses. The trips are personalised and include intensive training by Oomph! staff within each care home.
“The benefits of these trips cannot be underestimated,” explains Pauline Cumming, Activities Co-ordinator at Balhousie Lisden.
“We are seeing such positive reactions from all the residents who have been fortunate enough to take part. Some of our trips have been as simple as heading out into the surrounding countryside and enjoying a cup of tea and a slice of cake but to be honest the destination is almost irrelevant. It’s the excitement of preparing to go off on the bus and the feeling of adventure we all feel, staff included. Most of all we’re creating new memories and sharing laughter with our residents.”
The collaboration is the latest move in Balhousie Care Group’s mission to be a trailblazer in the care home sector, delivering individualised care for residents. The Perth-based group has been tackling issues such as dementia and loneliness in innovative ways, from virtual reality technology to therapy with pets. Balhousie also ensures that its residents and family members have a say in their care, and care strategy.
