Out and about with St John’s Care Home residents

St John’s Care Home in Melrose is surrounded by exciting destinations and places of interest, from historic buildings and iconic landscapes to community spaces and coffee shops. Activities coordinator Jennifer Craig works with the residents to create a calendar of outings and activities that take advantage of the opportunities close to the care home.

“It’s always nice to get out and about with the residents”, says Jennifer. “Many of St John’s residents are local to the area and we often bump into folk that they know. Recently we visited a loch in Tweedbank to feed the ducks and swans and a garden centre in St Boswells for a walk and a spot of shopping.”

Jennifer says that excursions are energising and get residents chatting about where they’ve been and what they did. Visiting local landmarks and meeting people also helps to reinforce connections with the local community.

She adds, “We’re already planning our next outings for the months ahead – maybe a trip to the bird conservation centre outside Lauder and the donkey sanctuary at Newtown.”

Thank you to Mansfield Care staff for the lovely photos.