Residents from Dalvenie Very Sheltered Housing, Banchory, Aberdeenshire are benefiting from Care about Physical Activity (CAPA) – a Care Inspectorate improvement programme to boost physical activity for older people experiencing care by having opportunities to move more. Experts say moving more often is a really important way for older people to stay healthy and well.

Staff at the home have been working to improve their garden to entice those in their care to come outside and use the space more.

Fiona Pirie, Manager explains: "The garden was only really attractive in summer and didn’t offer around the year interest and colour. So we held a planting party and now have a variety of plants, bulbs and seeds, providing an attractive space all year round. It’s great to see our residents out and enjoying it!"

For one couple in particular, the renovated garden has made a huge difference.

Billy Reid (83) and his wife, Lily (89) from Banchory moved to Dalvenie in February 2017. They both had failing health and wanted to stay together and locally, as they have a very supportive family nearby.

Before Billy retired he was very active. He worked as a gardener at the Links and Parks in Aberdeen for about five years, also at Balogie for four years and at Crathes Castle for five years.

When the couple moved in, having the focus of the garden helped with getting to know the tenants, staff and general day-to-day life of living within a very sheltered housing complex.

Fiona explained: "We knew that when he was younger, Billy was a keen gardener and was very fit and active. Lily also loves getting out in the fresh air. So we saw the garden and greenhouse project as an ideal way to help them to keep moving and also to integrate into the service’s community."

Billy went out daily with Lily to tend to the garden, often bringing vegetables grown in for residents, staff and visitors to the home.

He would check the greenhouse every day. He and Lily still go out in the garden now regularly despite the cold weather. And he has already asked if someone would help him to tidy the greenhouse in the spring once the weather improves.

Billy said "I have always been passionate about gardening. It’s a lovely setting within a garden. I hope to keep up with gardening here".

Bill and Lily have been married for 61 years. They met on a bus from Stonehaven to Aberdeen in 1955. Lily was a conductress on the bus and Billy was a passenger.

Lily says: "I thought he looked a really nice fella and I gave him a wink".

They didn’t meet again until four months later.

Lily continued: "I had lost my first husband, he had an accident, lost his arm and got and infection, he did not make it. My brother said to me it’s time to have some fun after you have been through and took me to a farmer’s ball in Stonehaven. At the ball Bill remembered me from the bus and asked me for a dance. And he hasn’t let me dance with anybody else since. We got married a year and a half later. We had three children together. (I had two children with my first husband). We’ve had a lovely life together".

Paula Bisset, CAPA Improvement Adviser for Aberdeenshire explains: "We know being supported to take part in everyday activities that can become more difficult as we get older, can have a tremendously positive effect on people’s quality of life and their experience of care.

"It’s great to hear about Bill and Lily and the great work happening at Dalvenie. CAPA is all about working with people experiencing care to help them to make small improvements that can have a big impact on their quality of life, health and wellbeing."

Here are some other things happening at Dalvenie which are helping people to keep active and moving.

•  Hanging baskets have been lowered so they are accessible for anyone to dead head the flowers and water. This also enables the baskets to be seen from the dining area.
•  Small watering cans are filled and placed on a table and tenants are able to go and water the plants when they are out in the gardens.
•  The door to the garden is generally left open which encourages more people to go outside where if the door was closed they may feel that they are not "allowed" or wouldn’t ask to go outside.
•  Additional seating areas have been introduced to encourage people to walk around different areas of the home.
•  Hanging baskets have been displayed at the front of the building and staff have noticed that people are going out the front door and down to the other door which has increased the time spent walking

The Care Inspectorate is encouraging all care homes to get involved with promoting physical activity for older people. For more information, visit www.capa.scot