Drive-thru visiting at Kirkintilloch care home

Since the coronavirus outbreak began staff at the home have been doing everything they can to keep residents safe and has thanked the community for their help.

On Friday the Canal Street facility was due to have marked the annual Care Home Open Day, which is celebrated nationwide, by inviting everyone living in the town to join them.

Unfortunately, running the event will not be possible this year due to the restrictions related to Covid-19 which are still in place.

Home manager Iain Ballantyne said: “Since the outbreak of Covid-19, we’ve taken extraordinary measures to safeguard the safety and wellbeing of our residents in the face of this devastating pandemic.

“And this Friday will be no different, so we will continue to have in place restricted visitation and will therefore we will not be able to invite the community to Campsie View Care Home.

“Instead, we want to say a big thank you as over these past few weeks, we have been overwhelmed by all the kindness shown by so many in our local community and by our residents’ families.

“We have a fantastic team here and our residents are coping very well under the circumstances but the community support shown is really helping us to get through these difficult times together.”

The drive-thru has enabled residents to connect with loved one face-to-face for the first time in months and has proven extremely popular.

Iain said: ““Norrie, hadn’t seen his sister Anne since January and they were both overjoyed and emotional when they saw each other.

“I have spoken to all the ladies and they could not thank us enough for everything.

“One of the ladies, Pam, was here to see her husband Martin and she was so excited, she said it felt like their first date all over again.”

As a way of thanking everyone in the community,the home has prepared wildflower seeds as a symbol of appreciation and hope for the future.

The seeds will be placed outside the entrance from Friday and everyone is invited to take one.

Iain said: “We want to say a big thank you and hope that next year we will see you all at Campsie View Care Home in order to celebrate Care Home Open Day together and continue to build the community that has supported us so wonderfully.”