Cellardyke care home brings memory walk home to support Alzheimer Scotland

Residents and staff at Willow House Care Home in Cellardyke have raised over £100 for Alzheimer Scotland by holding their own sponsored walk around the home.

Alzheimer Scotland is Holmes Care Group’s nominated Charity of the Year. With some Willow House residents living with dementia, supporting the charity has particular meaning for the home.

Attending one of Alzheimer Scotland’s official Memory Walks was not practical for everyone this year so the team brought the walk to residents instead giving them a chance to enjoy gentle movement and time together.

To keep spirits high along the route, Activity Co-ordinator, Lisa, and the Willow House team turned the walk into a series of playful challenges. Residents shook tambourines and bells in time with the music before making their way up the garden for skittles. The wind had other ideas, so the skittles stayed in their bag and the challenge became landing the ball inside it. A little further on, everyone had a go at tossing bean bags into a basin.

After all that walking, music and laughter, reaching the finish line felt especially rewarding – and every participant received a gold medal.

Kim MacPhail, Service Manager at Willow House, said: “It was a real pleasure to see everyone come together for such a special event. We wanted our residents to be part of a Memory Walk, so we brought one to Willow House. There were plenty of smiles along the way, even when the wind made us change our skittles game! Supporting Alzheimer Scotland means a great deal to us as a home caring for people living with dementia, and we’re delighted to have raised over £100 for its work.”