‘You might as well laugh’ – 101-year-old Edinburgh care home shares pearls of wisdom

An Edinburgh care home resident has celebrated her 101^st birthday and revealed the secret to living a long and happy life. 

Ina Bickerton, from Care UK’s Murrayside, on South Beechwood, marked the impressive milestone on 5^th December, and was joined by residents and team members to toast the occasion.

Enjoying the special day with a slice of birthday cake and a host of special gifts, the team decorated the home, and welcomed Ina’s son, grandchildren and great grandchildren into the home to celebrate.

Sharing her pearls of wisdom, Ina said: “I am delighted to be celebrating my 101^st birthday.

“My secret is to get on with life without grumbling, and don’t take things too seriously. If you cry, you cry alone, if you laugh, the world laughs with you – so you might as well laugh!”

Suzanne Welsh, Home Manager at Murrayside, said: “We really did have a wonderful time celebrating Ina’s 101^st birthday.

“Here at Murrayside, we always strive to make an occasion of birthdays, and Ina’s was no exception. From decorating her bedroom to baking a special cake, it was a fantastic day, and to see her celebrating with her family was the cherry on the cake.”

Ina, who was born in 1920, was one of five children, and grew up in Edinburgh. Her first job was in a printers, before becoming a bus conductress, which she loved. She met her beloved husband John, who was a friend of her brother’s, when she was a teenager and they married in 1943. The couple had a son, John, and Ina went on to work in silver service and later as a hotel landlady.

Ina loved going to parties, socialising, and dancing to Dean Martin and Tony Bennett. No matter how much she had to drink or what time the festivities ended, she would always find time to put her rollers in before bed.

Ina moved into Murrayside in 2020, where she enjoys reading and listening to her favourite singer, Frank Sinatra. She has a daughter-in-law, May, two grandchildren, Colin and Julie, and two great-grandchildren, Michael and Jennifer, who she loves keeping in touch with.

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 2847, or email gillian.gray@careuk.com.

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