Spring newsletter
- abbeyfieldviewland
- Mar 31
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 30
Viewlands Review – Spring 2025
Hello everyone, and welcome to our latest magazine. I hope you enjoy the articles. There will hopefully be something for everyone to enjoy. Thanks to everyone who has contributed.
Elaine Donald and her family have written a lovely piece about their holiday to Aviemore with Mackenzie Bear. Mackenzie was named after a former resident and likes to go off on trips and holidays with anyone who will take him – and tell the story afterwards. If anyone, resident, relative or staff, would like to take Mackenzie on an adventure, then he would be delighted to go with you.
You will see on the notice board that Viewlands House now has a score of 10/10 on the Carehome.co.uk website. Carehome.co.uk is technically the “Yellow Pages” of the care home world. The scores are calculated based on the number of reviews received over the previous six months. Sadly, we missed out on being officially named as being in the top 20 care homes in Scotland; the only local entry being Strathtay House who also have a score of 10/10 but theirs is based on having received 57 reviews compared to our 41. If you haven’t already sent in a review, then please do so. Review cards are in the front hall.
Five years ago, we joined up with “Easyfundraising” and have raised over £900 just by our supporters clicking the Easyfundraising link before doing any online shopping such as weekly groceries, clothes, books, holidays and insurances. If you haven’t already signed up, then speak to Elaine or Louise to get started. It really is “Easy” and doesn’t cost you anything. If you are already a supporter, then thank you so much.
I would like to thank residents, relatives and all the staff for their continuous support. Together we create a strong caring community that continues to thrive. I am incredibly grateful to each of you. Your support truly makes a difference, it’s appreciated more than words can say.
Kat
This is baby Remi, Evelyn’s first granddaughter. Remi was born on 23rd February and weighed 6lbs.
This is Sienna, Kim’s baby daughter, who was born on 26th February and weighed 8lb 6oz.
Hi there! My name is Jessica Montgomery, and I am a first-year student nurse on placement at Viewlands house. Last August, I became a healthcare volunteer with Perth & Kinross council in which I began volunteering in Viewlands House alongside Clarrisa. I completed a total of 30 hours helping with the recent ‘Go for Gold’ challenge and other activities in the afternoon. After starting the nursing course, I knew when the placement opportunities were given to us and Viewlands was on it, I had to take it!
I am currently on week 4 out of 6, and from my very first day, every single member of staff has been so welcoming and have gone out of their way to make sure I understood what I was doing and that I was comfortable.
Before this placement I hadn’t had any experience doing person centered care or much personal care and it was something that I was unsure about, however being at Viewlands has allowed me to overcome this and it is now something I thoroughly enjoy. I have had the best variety of opportunities at Viewlands, from going to specialist appointments with residents, to doing activities, getting to know each and every resident individually as well as their families, care experience and also having the experience of being in the nurse’s station. I have had the opportunity to communicate and watch different specialists come in such as opticians, doctors, physios and advanced nurse practitioners, which has been a great experience for me.
Overall, Viewlands House is a beautiful care home that I would recommend to any student looking for a good placement opportunity. Every resident has been very welcoming and allowed me to help and care for them and been very patient. Their big smiles and their humor have made this experience so fun and has encouraged me to keep going.
Thank you to everyone at Viewlands!
Out of the mouths (or pencils) of children...
Some Springtime Snippets & Sayings
No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.
- Proverb from Guinea
The cuckoo comes in April, Sings a song in May:
Then in June another tune, And then she flies away.
- English Rhyme
Again rejoicing Nature sees, Her robe assume its vernal hues
Her leafy locks wave in the breeze, All freshly steep'd in the morning dews.
- Robert Burns
The year's at the spring
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hill-side's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn:
God's in his heaven,
All's right with the world!
- Robert Browning
The spring is fresh and fearless
And every leaf is new,
The world is brimmed with moonlight,
The lilac brimmed with dew.
Here in the moving shadows
I catch my breath and sing --
My heart is fresh and fearless
And over-brimmed with spring.
- Sara Teasdale, May Night, 1920
When there's new growth bursting out all over, everything fresh, green, and flourishing, the plants are little rockets of success going off every time you look at them.
- Jacqueline Heriteau
Now Nature hangs her mantle green
On every blooming tree,
And spreads her sheets o'daisies white
Out o'er the grassy lea.
- Robert Burns
MacKenzie Bear’s trip to Aviemore
With Elaine Donald and the Friel family, October school holidays 2024
Although we had to endure a serious storm on the first day at Dalfaber with the wind causing the rain to be horizontal and the trees losing all their bonny leaves, we did have a lovely family time.
As you can see, the Rowan trees with their clusters of red berries were really lovely.
Here we have the children, Edith, Leo and Imogen with a bright red rowan on the banks of the Spey on our way to Aviemore.
They’re certainly dressed appropriately for the cold, wet and windy weather we had most of the week, but they had good fun.
Imogen & Edith Edith
Indoors was cosy, though, and the girls really enjoyed making many different characters with their tubs of plasticine – and MacKenzie liked being in the picture too!
The favourite trip we made was to Kingussie to see and have a walk with the Alpacas Imogen with her favourite, called Teddy and with the owner as we set off for the walk described below.
Some days, the family went off to Landmark, Cairngorm and Loch Morlich whilst Mackenzie and I had a warm relaxing time in the Lodge.
On our final day, we all really enjoyed a trip to Boat of Garten on the steam train. Leo was really fascinated by the very old-fashioned large metal adverts on the platform for medicines and cigarettes!
MacKenzie was there too of course, and got a new badge.
A note from Greta
All my family came to Perth for Christmas, from as far away as Malaysia, Darlington and Wales. We had a lovely time. We had a party in the annexe, we had a good singalong with Imogen and Andrew. We played games and enjoyed fish and chips.
On the 27th of December my son, Stuart, his wife, Angie and their son, Daniel took me to Dundee see “Oor Wullie the Musical”. The musical featured characters such as Wullie, Primrose, Boab, Soapy Soutar and Wee Eck. We all had a fabulous time.
It’s now almost three months since Christmas, how time flies! I hope 2025 will be good for us all. It’s lovely seeing the days beginning to lengthen. I love the snowdrops and look forward to the new spring lambs appearing.
Now we are reaching Easter. Easter Day always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the 21st March. The earliest that Easter Sunday can occur is the 22nd March and the latest is 25th April each year. The name Easter comes from a pagan goddess Easter.
Let’s hope the sun is shining at Easter this year and we all receive an Easter Egg!
Happy Easter to you all!
Greta
Happy Anniversary to Grace & John!
Grace & John recently celebrated their 68th Wedding Anniversary. They had tea at the Royal George Hotel with family to celebrate.
Grace & John were married on 2nd March 1957 at West Church of St. Nicholas in Aberdeen.
To continue with the celebrations, their little great grandson Lochlin was 1 year old two days later, on 4th March.
Residents Activities
The residents have been enjoying some Arts & Crafts with Jayne.
Above are examples of the Residents handywork!
Double Birthday Celebrations
Viewlands House was filled with excitement as residents gathered to celebrate the birthdays of two Residents, Millis (103) and Nan (104).
The highlight of the celebration was a live concert by Degsy, a local musician. Degsy's music brought smiles to everyone's faces as he sang a mix of favourite songs.
Article in the Courier featuring Viewlands House
Viewlands House featured in The Courier on Thursday, 13th March 2025. The article was titled “Scores reveal top-rated care homes across area”.
The five top-rated care homes in the Perth area were revealed. The Care inspectorate visits homes regularly and grades areas of operation using a scale from 6 (excellent) to 1 (unsatisfactory). Viewlands House was placed 2nd equal with Strathtay House.
Here’s what they had to say.
“Viewlands House can provide care for 32 people and is part of the Abbeyfield Perth Society. During the most recent inspection the Care Inspectorate found the home, on Viewlands Road, was clean, tidy and well-maintained. Inspectors also highlighted the consistent and experienced staff team who promptly responded to residents’ requests. Furthermore, they said people were being encouraged to be as independent as possible in the home”
Future events
We have our regular Coffee Morning with the Friends of Viewlands on 18th March at 10.45am.
On 19th March there is a Relatives’ Meeting with Kat at 2pm
Jean Naysmith has kindly agreed to come on 22nd March and do another Flower Arranging session. All welcome.
The next Residents’ Meeting is on 9th April at 2pm.
The Friends have sourced a minibus which has wheelchair access which we can use from Letham4All, another charitable body. We have booked the bus for Friday 16th May and Friday 20th June to take residents on an afternoon trip. Please let Clarissa know of any ideas you may have of where would be a suitable place to go for tea and cake, which has good access and toilet facilities. We will aim to pick the most popular suggestions. If this bus works out well, we will then book for a further date in both July and August.
Comments