Aisle be there - Wedding bells are ringing at East Kilbride care home

Highlighted home news

Jun 04, 2021

Wedding celebrations were in full swing at an East Kilbride care home when a resident virtually attended her nephew’s wedding.

Nora Sweeney, a resident at Care UK’s Cathkin House, on Glasgow Road, did not let the pandemic stop her from being part of her nephew Christopher’s wedding celebrations, as she watched the ceremony online from the comfort of her care home.

 Originally from Donegal, Nora, and her daughters, Margaret and Bridie, were unable to fly to Ireland for the occasion, and so the lifestyle team at Cathkin House decided to surprise Nora with a wedding reception of her own.

Decorating the home with bunting and pictures of the bride and groom, the team set up a live stream of the ceremony, prepared a special afternoon tea, baked a wedding cake, and even bought Nora her very own fascinator to wear for the day.

Nora’s daughter, Margaret, who joined for the celebrations, said: “We were overwhelmed when we walked into the room, the team really did go above and beyond to ensure my mother was still able to enjoy such a special day.

“We all had such a fantastic afternoon, and we made memories that will last a lifetime. Both the bride and groom were extremely touched to know that their aunty was still able to enjoy the day with them. The entire occasion is testament to the kind and loving care team, who are like an extension of our family.”

Nisha Sujeewon, Home Manager at Cathkin House, said: “The past year has been challenging for everyone, especially for families living apart. The whole team has worked hard to ensure residents still feel as involved with family life as possible.

“Nora was so excited about her nephew’s wedding, and was thrilled to still be able to take part in her own special way. The team really did go above and beyond to ensure she could still celebrate and raise a glass to the happy couple. We know just how important it is for residents to be part of family occasions, so we’re delighted that Nora was able to be a part of the “e-ceremony” on the day – we could definitely hear wedding bells here at Cathkin House!”  

Nora added: “I was looking forward to the wedding, and to celebrating such an important family milestone. It was disappointing not to be able to attend due to the pandemic, but it all came to life on the day – I couldn’t believe how much thought had gone into the celebrations. It was very special to me.”

Cathkin House provides dementia, nursing and nursing dementia care, and has been designed to enable its residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities and has plenty of space indoor, and out, to relax.

To find out more about Cathkin House, please call Home Manager, Nisha Sujeewon, on nisha.sujeewon@careuk.com, or call on 01357 578396.

For more general information visit careuk.com/cathkin-house  

Image captions:

Top right: Nora shares a brief hug with her daughters, all parties were tested prior to the event for safety

Bottom left: Nora and her daughters, Margaret and Bridie. All parties took coronavirus tests to ensure safety prior to the event