CARE HOME RESIDENTS REUNITED AFTER 65 YEARS

Residents and staff at Queens Manor Care Home in Barnton had a special moment recently when two residents discovered that they had met and known each other some 65 years ago.

Margaret is a permanent resident at Queens Manor and Dorothy came to the home for a second respite stay. Dorothy said that her address had been mentioned during her previous respite stay and she was determined to get to the bottom of it!

Over six decades ago, Margaret used to live in Myrtle Crescent, Bilston in a council property, but wanted to move to Bonnyrigg to be nearer to family there. So, as was the norm at the time, she put a notice up in the post office in Poulton requesting a house exchange.

Dorothy, who was living in Eskdale Court, Bonnyrigg, spotted the notice and the ladies arranged to meet, then the exchange was duly arranged. Dorothy’s husband was a HGV driver working at Pentland Garage and the move brought him nearer to his work base.

Once the moves took place, the ladies did not see each other again until Margaret and Dorothy bumped into each other at Queens Manor. After much chat and reminiscence, supported by Margaret’s daughter Susan, it was confirmed that it had in fact been the same Margaret and Dorothy that had swapped houses some 65 years ago. They have not seen each other since and there followed an entertaining and fulfilling reminiscence session around the ladies’ experiences before and since.

Dorothy said: “Margaret’s husband had a fruit and vegetable van, and it took me ages to get rid of the smell of apples, which had been kept in a cupboard under the stairs!”

At the home’s Friday social everyone had fun listening to the two ladies sharing their respective anecdotes, and marvelling at this extraordinary coincidence: what a small world we live in! What are the chances of this type of encounter, and after all this time? Such amazing memories were invoked.

General Manager, Margaret-Ann Davidson commented: “We feel very privileged to have shared in this encounter – such is the power of reminiscence and social interactions. When residents get together there’s always a story to be shared, although not always as fascinating as this one!” ‘

Queens Manor is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering high-quality care across its care homes and hospitals. Queens Manor provides residential, dementia and respite care.

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