Carron nursing home staff show people what caring really means

It was just the latest of a long line of activities and events staff had engaged them with in order to keep their spirits up during the current COVID-19.

The Avondale Care Ltd run premises, located in Beaumont Drive near the River Carron, provides top class care for the elderly and people aged 18 and over who have complex needs, but in recent weeks staff have excelled themselves to ensure residents stay as safe as possible and have been coming up with innovative ways to get them thinking about anything but the coronavirus.

Manager Tracy Gallacher said: “The staff have been absolutely amazing and have really gone above and beyond. Everyone is being very supportive in this situation, from the director of the care home all the way down.

“Our main priority is the safety and mental well being of our residents. It’s very difficult for families at this time with no visiting, but we have made sure they can stay in touch with residents through things like WhatsApp and Facebook messages.

“We have a lot of positive ideas and things going on, like our tree of hope with messages from the residents – that was just something we talked about and then did. Our staff are spending a lot more time with residents because they cannot get visits from their families at the moment.”

Tracy said Alexa devices the home has are really proving popular with people, allowing them to enjoy sing alongs throughout the day.

Staff were moved to tears recently when an elderly resident who was missing her husband sang along with Stand By Your Man.

The care home, who even enlisted a piper to entertain residents, has been posting videos online of activities and events they have been holding, including a mass sing along to the Gerry and Pacemakers anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Tracy said: “We will always look to do things which will keep people interested – at Easter time we asked the residents what they did at that time of year when they were young and they all said they rolled their eggs down a hill.”

There are obviously no hills in Carrondale, but a plank of wood and some artificial grass did the trick.

Although nothing can really compare with actual visits from loved ones, Tracy says staff at the home will continue to do their best to care and engage with residents for however long the coronavirus lockdown lasts.

“We will make it work,” said Tracy.

Visit www.facebook.com/Avondale to keep up to speed with residents and all the activities at Carrondale.