Eye care home resident flies down memory lane

An Eye care home spent an im-peck-able afternoon at a local beauty spot. 

Keen observer of birds Cynthia Ridger, a resident at Care UK’s Hartismere Place on Castleton Way, had her wish to go birdwatching granted by the care home team. 

Cynthia’s love of birdwatching began in her childhood, when her parents took her on regular trips to the Suffolk countryside up until she was 11 – after which she was evacuated to a small town just outside Birmingham. Her love for the for the feathered, ‘characterful’ creatures, especially blackbirds, only grew from there. She continued to observe yellow hammers on her way back from school, but she hadn’t had a chance to get back to nature for a proper spot of birdwatching in years – until now. 

On the day, Cynthia, along other residents at Hartismere Place, had their binoculars at the ready as they headed to Lackford Lakes nature reserve, where they surveyed the local wildlife.  

Cynthia said: “I think that it is wonderful to have places like Lackford Lakes, which are put aside for birds and wildlife, and to see them so close up. I wonder if they get used to us watching as they got so close – maybe they are really watching us!” 

Claire Martin, Home Manager at Hartismere Place, said: “It was our pleasure and privilege to grant Cynthia her wish – all while enjoying some fresh air and beautiful scenery.

 “Birdwatching is an especially worthwhile hobby for older people, as it encourages them to spend more time outdoors and keep active. As Cynthia was already a keen ‘twitcher’, the activity also proved to be a great opportunity for her to reminisce, and tell us all about her favourite birds. 

“We think Cynthia might have passed on her passion for birdwatching to other residents too – we’re all looking forward to our next trip!”

Hartismere Place has been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives. The home provides full-time residential, residential dementia, as well as short term respite care. The team also operates a day centre, the Hartismere Place Day Club, open to the community throughout the week.