‘A good dose of stubbornness’ – the secret to a long life according to an Edinburgh resident

Home news

Feb 04, 2020

A resident at an Edinburgh care home celebrated her 100^th birthday and revealed the secret to living a long life.

Birthday celebrations were in full swing at Care UK’s Murrayside, on South Beechwood, when resident Beatrice Mackay turned 100 years ‘young’. She revealed the secret to living to this impressive age is being out in the fresh Highland air as much as possible – and a good dose of stubbornness.

Beatrice was born on 19^th October 1919 in Tain, where she lived for 99 years, before moving to Murrayside this month to be closer to her family. As a keen churchgoer, member of the Women’s Guild and founder of the local flower club, she was a well-known figure within the community. She met her husband Murdoch, a local bank manager, while she was working at the Post Office. Together, they had two children – Catherine and James.

A keen gardener and flower arranger, Beatrice is also a talented dressmaker, knitter and embroiderer, and also enjoys reading the news and solving crossword puzzles.

To celebrate her milestone birthday, the team at Murrayside hosted a special family party, where Beatrice received around 100 cards, lots of flowers and a birthday cake. Guests were also joined by an entertainer for the afternoon, and Beatrice’s great grandchildren joined in the fun by performing “Baby Shark” for the residents.

Home manager at Murrayside, Michelle Reid, said: “Residents are at the heart of everything we do here at Murrayside, and we always like to throw a party for special celebrations – and Beatrice’s 100th birthday was no exception.

“It’s fantastic to see Beatrice celebrating this incredible milestone with her family and friends at the home. She’s been a fantastic addition to the Murrayside family since she moved in earlier this month, and we’re looking forward to celebrating many more milestones!”

Beatrice said: “I’ve had a really lovely day. Everyone has been so nice and it was extra special to receive birthday greetings from the Queen. I also got a card from the Dept of Work & Pensions, which I thought was funny!”

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, Gillian Gray, on 0131 516 8767, or email gillian.gray@careuk.com  

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