Richmond’s older residents warm up hearts this winter

James Johnson’s, 77, favourite time of year is winter. The seventy-seven-year-old 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.”

Viera Gray resident Dorothy Paignton aged ninety-four 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, recalled her winter memory:

“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!”

Eighty-five-year-old Marie-Louise 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 real small 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.”

The not-for-profit residential and dementia care home on Ferry Road is run by leading care charity Greensleeves Care. Viera Gray House’s 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.”

Greensleeves Care residents’ memories have been making waves on social media. People have shared reactions including “absolutely love this” as well as their own memories including, “Winter 67-68 lots of snow and walking down the road with my first proper boyfriend!!!!! Our village was cut off by snowdrifts, but we didn’t care!”. There have even been suggestions to pull the collection into a book.

Shubhes explained that 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.

Research by Greensleeves Care showed that 62% of people are more concerned about the welfare of older relatives and friends in winter. In addition, one in two people give more assistance to older loved ones during the winter season with activities such as shopping, social visits and household tasks.

To support local people, Greensleeves Care’s winter Warmth of Care campaign includes free online resources and advice as well as a Big Warm Up day on Saturday 25 January where Viera Gray care home will open its doors to the Richmond community.

Shubhes continues: “Winter is an opportunity to spot for growing care needs and explore longer-term solutions. We’re here for families concerned about loved ones this season.

“The Big Warm Up is a free open-day and a chance for visitors to celebrate and experience the joy and humanity that exists in care settings like our home. For families concerned about an older loved one, it’s also an opportunity to talk through practical information to support decision-making around care in a relaxed and welcoming environment.”

If you’d like more tips and advice on how to help older adults near you to stay warm and well this winter, you can explore free resources at www.greensleeves.org.uk/WarmthOfCare