Care Home Residents Take To The Ice

Residents from a Sanctuary Care home in Ivybridge, Plymouth got their ‘skates on’ and enjoyed a special trip to a local ice-skating rink, many for the first time – including 102-year-old Winnie Davies.

Eight residents at Ivydene Residential and Nursing Home, which provides residential, residential dementia and nursing care, recently enjoyed an afternoon at Plymouth Pavilions Ice Rink from the comfort and safety of their wheel-chairs, with the help of the home’s care staff.

The special visit was recently covered on BBC Spotlight, and the video which featured Winnie Davies, who at 102 is the oldest person to skate at the Pavilions, has gone viral with over 32,000 views.

Speaking of the trip, great-great-grandmother Winnie said: “It was my first time skating; I really enjoyed it and want to know when we are going again!”

Fellow resident Barbara Hulin (97) agreed: “I enjoyed it very much, it was also my first time ice skating as I was never very athletic as a youngster, but really enjoyed this as I could sit back and take it all in.”

Activities leader at Ivydene, Lucy Cassidy said: “It was just such a fantastic afternoon, and from our residents’ reactions we will certainly be going back!

“We love having the opportunity to create ‘first times’ for our residents –moving into a care home can be a new chapter and one that we look to make as exciting as possible!”

The Sanctuary Care home’s manager, Ann Wilding added: “At Ivydene, we believe it is really important to support our residents to take part in interesting activities, rekindle old past time and try new things – and this was definitely a new experience for many of our residents!

“They still haven’t stopped talking about their visit, and it really has brought a smile to all of their faces.”