A glass of wine and a sense of humour – the secret to a long life according to 102-year-old Edinburgh care home resident

A 102-year-old Edinburgh care home resident has revealed the secret to living a long and happy life.   

Lena ‘Alice’ Lamont, from Care UK’s Murrayside, on South Beechwood, marked her 102^nd birthday on 22^nd August. Reflecting on her many happy years, she revealed the secrets to a long life include a good glass of wine, lots of laughter and focusing on making those around you happy.

To celebrate the occasion, the talented chefs at Murrayside prepared Alice a delicious chocolate birthday cake, and the care team organised a singer along to serenade Alice with her favourite tunes, which had everyone singing and clapping along.

Suzanne Welsh, Home Manager at Murrayside, added: “We could certainly learn a lot from Alice’s secrets to a long life! It was wonderful to discuss these and hear her life stories when marking such a momentous birthday.

“Here at Murrayside, we work hard to support residents to lead fulfilling lives, and celebrating special occasions and birthdays plays a huge part in this. We love any excuse for a slice of cake, and a reason to celebrate the amazing people living here at Murrayside – Alice’s birthday was no exception!

“Alice is a much-loved resident at the home, she’s always looking out for others and making everyone laugh. We were honoured to raise a glass to her incredible life so far and we are so proud to have her as part of our Murrayside family.” 

Alice, who has lived in Edinburgh since she was born, is an avid fan of its beautiful scenery and historic architecture. Among her favourite spots to visit is the North Queensferry Hilton Hotel, which offers stunning views across the Firth of Forth, the Crieff Hydro hotel, and The Kelpies.

In her younger years, Alice spent a lot of her time in Corstorphine, working at her brother-in-law’s fish and chip shop, where she enjoyed serving and talking to the customers. 

Alice lived in her own home until the age of 98, before moving into Murrayside, where she continues to enjoy days out and spending time with her family. Alice has one niece, one great niece, one great nephew and an incredible ten great-great nieces and nephews – who regard her as having ‘legendary status’ for keeping up to date on the latest celebrity news in Hello! Magazine.  

Murrayside care home has been specially designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities, and has its own cinema, hair salon and café.

To find out more about Murrayside, please contact customer relations manager, Cliona Robertson, on 0131 516 2487, or email cliona.robertson@careuk.com.

For more general information, please visit careuk.com/murrayside.