Aberdeen care home extend Hallowe'en to stay safe
Renaissance Care’s Torry Care Home in Aberdeen didn’t let the new government restrictions dampen their ‘spirits’ this Halloween as they extend the party over four days to help residents and staff stay safe.
Halloween is always a favourite time for the residents and staff at Torry Care Home: a time when they all get together to dress up, have a sing-song and dook for apples. However, this year, staff had to get creative with how to keep the party going while maintaining the strict government guidelines.
Instead of one day of spooktacular fun, the party was stretched over four days, beginning on Monday and finishing on Thursday (29th October), with each department of the care home having their own specified day to mark the occasion.
Despite not all being together, residents and staff made the most of their day by dressing up, playing games and showing off their favourite trick or treat talent.
Ethel Innes (80), who describes herself as Elvis’ number one fan, dressed up as the King himself and gave fellow residents a rendition of ‘It’s Now Or Never’, being sure not to leave out the famous swinging hips from her wheelchair.
Doris Gray (89), was also enjoying the tunes as she discoed down and showed off her moves to staff and residents. Doris additionally delighted her fellow partygoers with her recital of her favourite trick or treat poem ‘Trick or treat, smell my feet’.
The staff look forward to celebrating Halloween every year, especially the annual ‘staff challenge’ which sees people from each department team up with a partner in a race to become a toilet-paper mummy, using shaving foam and marshmallows as the adhesive for their new costume.
Julie Geddes, team leader and well-being coordinator at Torry Care Home, said: “Halloween was always going to be a bit different this year, but because of the year everyone has had, it was more important than ever to make sure it gave us all a chance to unwind and have some fun together.
“By extending the party, we extended the fun as we were able to share pictures of the other departments’ parties with residents across the home, which they loved. All our residents and staff are great at getting involved in the activities we host throughout the year, and this year’s trick or treat talent show was a big hit with residents reminiscing about their childhood Halloween days, as well as having a chance to live a day in their heroes’ shoes.”
