Kay Has The Scoop On The Secret To A Long, Happy Life

A resident at Innis Mhor care home in Tain celebrated her 103rd birthday with a cherished tradition: enjoying an ice cream on her favourite beach.

Kathleen Scrace, better known as Kay, enjoyed the sunny weather with an outing to Dornoch Beach with her daughter Ann, following a party at the care home with friends and loved ones. The trip was made possible with the support of Dornoch Beach Wheelchairs, a charity which ensures people with physical impairments can enjoy the area’s beautiful beaches.

The seaside celebration echoed Kay’s 100th birthday when she cruised to the beach in style, riding in an open-top Mercedes.

Kay was born in Chadderton, Greater Manchester. She worked at Oldham Royal Infirmary, managing the Records Department, before overseeing the Anti-Natal Department at Boundry Park Hospital.

She met her husband, James Sydney Scrace, while he was working as a draftsman for aircraft manufacturer Avro. They had three children Pauline, Ann and David.

Following their retirement, Kay and Jim embarked on a new chapter, settling first in Dyfed, Wales, on a smallholding, and later in the scenic Algarve region of Portugal, where they enjoyed entertaining family and friends in their villa by the sea.

They returned to the UK in their late seventies to be closer to their family. Jim died in 2016, at the age of 95. Soon after Kay went to live with her daughter Ann, until she moved into Innis Mhor in 2018.

Inspired by Kay’s longevity and zest for life, care staff at Innis Mhor sought her advice on the secret to a long, happy life.

Kay offered a simple yet powerful message: “Love everybody and yourself and do things that make you happy!”