Fifteen couples who live at Colten Care homes in the south celebrated Valentine’s Day with romantic lunches specially arranged as a surprise by their care teams, companions and chefs.
The in-home diners were personally invited to sit down to homecooked Sunday roasts at private tables reserved just for them and decorated along Valentine themes.
Flowers, bubbly and chocolates were on hand as husbands and wives exchanged Valentine’s cards and greetings.
Among them were Fred and Iris Woodford, who enjoyed their first Valentine’s Day since celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary last year at Woodpeckers, Colten’s Outstanding-rated home in Brockenhurst in the New Forest.
“Our Valentine’s lunch was lovely,” said Fred. “I’m as much in love with Iris today as I was when I first met her. We were both 15 when we met and we’ve spent more than 70 Valentine’s Days together in all. I took it for granted we would do the same this year, but the staff really made it an extra special occasion. We thank everyone who helped make it possible.”
There were similar sentiments from George and Muriel Bokota at Linden House, Colten’s Outstanding-rated dementia care home in Lymington.
The couple, who have been married for 67 years, sat down to roast lamb and all the trimmings followed by a rhubarb dessert.
The home’s Companionship Team Leader Chris Dimmick said: “We had kept the lunch date a surprise. George was delighted to see Muriel and be able to give her his card in person.” Nine other Colten homes laid on surprise Valentine’s lunches for couples among their residents.
The post Colten Care homes celebrated Valentine’s Day with romantic lunches for residents first appeared on Care Industry News.
