Fifteen Scottish Care Home Visits Opened My Eyes Wider to a Wonderful World of Love, Laughter and Long Life
Me and my friend Audrey in her Scottish care home
Professor Joe Goldblatt
When I am asked how did I spend my time at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe I reply “I performed in 15 Scottish care homes.” Invariably I receive a wide mouthed look from my listener as if surely they had misunderstood my reply.
In 2022 a close personal friend had been diagnosed with dementia and for his safety he had agreed to move into a local care home. I began visiting him weekly and soon came to know, respect, and yes, love, the residents and their devoted caretakers. According to Public Health Scotland as of 2023 there were 34, 365 persons living in adult care homes in our country. They also reported that in the same year there were 1037 adult care homes in Scotland with total places available for 40,502 persons.
As a result of visiting my friend each week I became more interested in the care sector and with my wife created an entertainment programme that brings performers from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to local care homes. Most of the homes I visited looked after around 60 individuals ranging from young adults to those over 100 years in age.
As I travelled throughout Edinburgh and East Lothian with our performers I was repeatedly impressed with the cleanliness, tasteful decor, and well trained and caring staff found in each and every care home. Furthermore, I was greatly impressed with the enthusiastic satisfaction that the majority of the care home residents exhibited when I simply asked them “How do you like it here?”
One resident who was registered blind said “I love it here. The carers first and foremost treat us as individuals and they really do use person centred approaches to our individual care.” When I asked her to give me some examples she quickly listed individualised recreational activities, creative dining options, and many more examples of how the tens of thousands of care workers in Scotland personally look after their residents.
While there is no specific required numerical ratio of the minimum number of staff per resident in Scotland the Care Inspectorate in Scotland does require” “Providers must deploy sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, competent, skilled and experienced staff to make sure that they can meet people’s care and treatment needs and therefore meet the requirements of Section 2 of these regulations (the fundamental standards).”
During the 75 contact hours I have spent in 15 care homes this past August I can reveal that never once did I witness a lack of attention to a resident’s needs and in many cases I witnessed care givers actually anticipating a need because they new the resident and his or her preferences so well. One example of this is when a gentleman in a wheelchair caught the eye of a staff member, offered a sly wink, and the member of staff quickly placed a cup of juice in his frail hands. The staff member then sat beside him guiding the cup carefully to her grateful lips.
During the Fringe Care Fest we encourage the residents, who are able, to dance, whether from the safe space within their wheelchairs or even, if they are able, upon their feet. The animation of the residents to the well known songs from Abba have returned hundreds of women in their 80’s, 90’s, and over 100 into dancing queens once more as they sway from side to side or in many cases rise, for the first time in months, from their chairs to dance with me.
While dancing I slyly ask some of the ladies “Do you come here often?” They shyly reply “All the time!” Then we connect with the growing conga line as we join Frank Sinatra in singing New York, New York.
One lady in her naughty nineties asked me at the end of our dance “May I blow in your ear?” I smiled and said “Go ahead!” She then blew a hooley through my heid and this was followed by our mutual laughter.
During my time this past summer and during the past four years in local care homes I have learned three important facts about ageing and the future of adult care in Scotland.
Firstly, we all age differently. Our ageing pattern is often dependent upon our previous lifestyle, our genetic inheritance, and increasingly I have found out it is influenced by our positive attitude. According to a recent study of super agers, adults over the age of 80 who possess the superior memory capability of individuals 20 to thirty years young and often defy typical age – related cognitive decline studies.
The most recent studies of tens of thousands of super agers that confirm that socialisation is one of the best ways to age well.
Therefore, by engaging in programmes such as the Fringe Care Fest or other social activities individuals may stave off some of the mental decline that others may succumb to.
Second, when speaking with a resident in a care home it is important not to assume that they are unaware of what is happening in the wider world out with their front door. WIth constant access to the Internet, radio, and television many residents are well informed and enjoy discussing current events. After all, despite their physical constraints due to ageing, cognitively they may still wish to express their opinions and views about local, national, and international affairs. I have had many stimulating discussions with residents about the growth of the Edinburgh Fringe and you may wish to listen to their very strong memories and sharp views here at the Edinburgh Public Library Capital Collections “Memories of the Fringe” audio podcast where over a dozen care home residents wax eloquently with their views.
Memories of the Fringe Part One
https://www.capitalcollections.org.uk/view-item?i=54673&WINID=1756742567418
Memories of the Fringe Part Two
https://www.capitalcollections.org.uk/view-item?i=54674
Third and finally, whilst our care residents engage socially with one another forming supportive tribes within each residence, they welcome and encourage visitors from out with their home, although there are specific rules for visitors who are not relatives. If you wish to be a volunteer visitor please contact individual homes and speak to the General Manager and if you are invited for a visit then plan on no more than 45 minutes because the residents are very busy people and you are their guest. Do not overstay your welcome. Also, do not bring any items into the home without first checking with the General Manager or the Activities Director to insure the items are appropriate for the individual resident.
I suppose that as I reach the age of potential care in an adult care home setting I have become more and more curious about this once mysterious world. Throughout my many visits and interactions with hundreds of residents I have learned that as one woman told me “Life goes on in care!” Therefore, I am fully confident that regardless of how my future life care options unfold I shall be in very good, safe, compassionate, and person centred hands because of the skills, experience, and boundless commitment of our Scottish care home professionals.
Who knows, one day I might just be happily leading a future conga line as a resident rather than a visitor and that will be fine with me!
Professor Joe Goldblatt is Emeritus Professor of Planned Events at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh and Co – chair of the Edinburgh Interfaith Association www.edinburghinterfaith.com and Chair of Volunteer Edinburgh www.volunteeredinburgh.org.uk. His views are his own. In August 2025 he visited 15 Scottish Care Homes as part of the Fringe Care Fest presented by the Edinburgh Interfaith Association and its many partners.