Socially distanced serenade for Caladh Sona birthday girl – aged 103!
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It was a day of celebration last Sunday for Georgina Macleod, a resident at Caladh Sona Care Home, Melness.
For not only was it her 103rd birthday, but it was also the first time in eight months that she was able to see the faces of her friends - albeit mask-clad.
Stuart Mingham, of Tongue, who was at the gathering said: “We had to stand outside at a social distance, of course, but Georgina could see us through the open door.”
Accompanied by Jane Mackay on the accordion, the group sang Happy Birthday. The local choir sang Gaelic favourite Gleann Gollaidh and then all joined in with one of her favourite hymns, What a friend we have in Jesus.
Mr Mingham closed the brief but happy event with a short prayer of blessing.
Georgina worked as a nursing sister for the NHS for 40 years and is now well cared for by the the staff at Caladh Sona, an NHS facility.
Thanks to their vigilance and dedication, residents have been kept free of Covid-19.
However residents are still missing visits from family and friends.
The home has no wi-fi, despite the availability of broadband locally, so web-based video calls are not possible.
It also means that the home is unable to benefit from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's recent announcement that two iPads would be provided to every care home in Scotland to help alleviate loneliness.
Mr Mingham said: “Until this can be rectified, residents will have to manage with visitors’ masked faces seen through glass at a distance, or voices heard on the end of a phone line – not ideal as most residents are hard of hearing. Surely we can do better than this in 2020?”
