Residents at a care home have shared their fondest winter memories to help combat isolation.
The residents at Viera Gray care home in Richmond have been sharing their favourite winter memories, which have been described as having a “therapeutic and heartwarming impact” on the community.
The not-for-profit residential and dementia care home on Ferry Road is run by care charity Greensleeves Care.
James Johnson, 77, said: “My family always lived in Putney in a flat. I have four brothers and four sisters.
“My aunties and uncles would come to my home to play in the snow in our estate, later we would have a slap-up Christmas meal with jelly and ice cream and apple pie.”
Dorothy Paignton, 94 (Image: Greensleeves Care)
Paignton, 94, said her favourite Christmas was when she was 12 years old.
She enjoyed sitting reading books by the fire and playing games with her five brothers and sisters.
She said: “I also enjoyed helping my mum decorate the living room with tinsel and candy canes.”
Sylvia Hopkinson, 83, said: “At age 13 I was living in Sweden near Stockholm and we would go ice skating with family including my brothers, sisters and aunties.
“It was terrifying and we laughed so loudly that our stomachs would hurt.
“And we enjoyed having hot chocolate afterwards.”
Sylvia’s winter memory (Image: Greensleeves Care)
Marie-Louise, 85, said: “My early memories of Christmas go back to 1945 when I was six.
“Just after the end of the war. We used to live in a big house on a big estate.
“My father and grandad would chop a massive fir tree and would secretly prop it up in the big, high-ceilinged main reception room.
“On Christmas day, my twin sister and I would discover a magical tree decorated with small real candles.
“It was beautiful and the room smelt of conifers.”
Derek Wood, 90, said: “At age 11, I enjoyed the winter seasons with my mum and dad and saving the ration coupons to buy chicken and veg.
“Also having a lovely Christmas with my uncles, aunties and nephews. Nowadays, I like watching crime mysteries on the TV.”
Manager Shubhes Shrestha said: “We know winter can be a hard season for many, but it is also a time to cosy up with others, to care and feel cared for.
“Our residents at Viera Gray have loved sharing their wonderful memories of winter days; and our staff, relatives and social media followers have enjoyed hearing them.”
Shubhes said conversation and memory recall are key to living well and happily and that sparking old memories is beneficial to older adults, who sometimes can experience isolation during the winter months.