BURNS Night celebrations held for the people who live at Butterfly Lodge in Plymouth have been a January highlight for resident Ron Urquhart who was a native of Aberdeenshire before he moved to Devon.
Deputy manager Sarah McCaffrey said: “On the big day we had a visit from Dave the Lone Piper, whose amazing bagpipes could be heard everywhere throughout the home, but all week we’ve been playing Scottish music that’s been bringing a smile to Ron’s face.
“He’s also been reminiscing with my colleagues about his early life, and it’s lovely to see what a positive impact these activities have for him.
“Living with dementia is never easy, so it’s such a delight when we identify the ‘sweet spot’ that holds the key to unlocking special happy memories for someone – that’s exactly what happened with Ron over the past week, and it’s something we’ll be taking forward with him.
“It’s things like this that make our work, helping people with dementia live their best lives, so rewarding.”
The traditional Burns Night feast was eaten in a dining room bedecked with the blue and white flag of Scotland and other Scottish-themed decorations that residents had fun creating over the previous week and featured the traditional savoury mince, neeps and tatties – plus haggis for those who like it.
Shortbread biscuits had been baked by residents to accompany afternoon tea.
Other activities included a fun quiz about Scotland, and reminiscence activities about residents’ holidays north of the border, and about Scottish friends and family members.