‘Good old Scottish water’ – 104-year-old East Kilbride care home resident reveals the secret to a long life

A resident at a care home in East Kilbride has shared her secret for living a long and happy life on her 104^th birthday.

A very special celebration took place at Care UK’s Cathkin House, on Glasgow Road, when resident Rebecca Somerville, known as Becs, turned 104 years ‘young’ on 13^th January. 

To mark the occasion, Becs revealed her secrets to being a centenarian, which included watching her children grow up, cycling, not worrying – and most importantly, drinking lots of ‘good old Scottish water’. 

As part of her birthday celebrations, the team at Cathkin House decorated the home with balloons and baked Becs a special birthday cake to enjoy with her son, Peter. 

Becs said: “I had a wonderful time celebrating my 104^th birthday with Peter and my Cathkin House family. Everyone went to such a lot of effort – I feel well and truly spoilt!”

Nisha Sujeewon, Home Manager at Cathkin House, added: “Becs is a well-loved and popular resident at Cathkin House, and it was fantastic to help her celebrate this incredible milestone with both her family here at the care home and Peter.

“Here at Cathkin House, everything we do is focused around our ethos of ensuring residents continue to lead fulfilling lives, so we always like to celebrate important milestones – and Becs’ 104^th birthday was no exception. It was lovely to raise a glass to such a wonderful lady on her special day.”

Becs was born on a farm in Montrose in 1918. As a child, she loved collecting the chicken eggs and feeding the animals along with her brother sibling. She was a keen cycler and says she ‘was never out of the headmaster’s office’ during her school days.

After leaving education, Becs moved to Glasgow, where she met her beloved James, and they married in the summer of 1928.

Becs worked in an office and at a general store, and later as a kitchen assistant delivering meals to local people in the community. James and Becs had three daughters, Rebecca, Helen and Irene   and a son, Peter, and the family enjoyed visiting the Barras during the summer months.

In 2014, Becs began the next chapter of her life at Cathkin House. She loves listening to her favourite song, The Blue Danube, by Johann Strauss, watching the ballet and keeping in touch with her four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. 

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.