Gaming brings “spirit of Augusta” to Scottish care home

GOLF-loving pensioners at a Scottish care home are getting fully into The Masters spirit with daily competitions on their Nintendo Switch consoles.

A four day celebration of the golfing major is underway at Cramond Residence, a plush care home to the north of Edinburgh, with full coverage being shown to residents.

Taking the enjoyment of the sport a step further, residents are also competing against each other and staff on ‘The Golf’- which requires the player to mimic golfing motions in an attempt to score the lowest round.

One resident shared his knowledge of the sport through a golf history presentation, Dr Loudon said: “I first started playing at Faux Rose at Rosemarkie in the Black Isle. I became so attached to loving the game of golf, that I started to play it back home on Bruntsfield Links Golf Course.

“I’m looking forward to watching the tournament all weekend long – it is something I tune into every year.

“Albeit the Masters might be a bit different this year without the crowds, however staff at Cramond Residence have put on an array of activities to make sure those who enjoy the sport can still make it one to remember.”

Another resident, Professor Pompa added: “It will be a good laugh taking part in the Nintendo Switch competition and I’m hopeful my golfing talents from the course will uphold in a virtual sense!”.

While bringing additional fun to the proceedings, the gaming has a serious element, challenging the residents physically and mentally, while helping with dexterity.

It’s part of a wider push by Cramond Residence’s care team to enable those that live there to fully embrace technology and use it to improve a wide range of aspects of their daily lives.

Christian Daraio, Client Liaison Manager and Registered Nurse with Cramond Residence, said: “It’s been a tough year, but having The Masters on our TV screens and the fun of a gaming competition is a top distraction.

“There’s some serious competition too. The great thing about the Switch consoles is that they are so accessible, for those that haven’t gamed or played golf before in particular.”

The Masters will be live streamed in the cinema room for the full duration of the tournament with further golf related activities on offer over the weekend, including a resident-led history of golf presentation by Dr Loudon and a ceremony for the Nintendo Switch Winner.

Cramond Residence offers high quality care for up to 74 residents utilising a small-group living concept in nine houses, with all residents enjoying an exceptional range of amenities and activities, delicious food and bespoke care from our highly-trained team.

Each resident enjoys a luxury room with en-suite bathroom facilities. The Care Home maintains a minimum ratio of 1:4 of care staff to residents during the day.