Jeannette's story
Jeannette says she couldn’t wish for better than Braeside House care home.
“It’s very well organised and the staff are very kind.
“You get everything supplied here. Everything. Night nurses, day nurses, meals. You can push a wee buzzer and staff will come along to help you with whatever."
Jeannette has glaucoma. Her vision became increasingly cloudy and she found it hard to continue living at her home in Corstorphine, Edinburgh.
“I was partially sighted for a wee while but it gradually got worse to full blindness," she says.
“It’s a very bad blur in front of your eyes. I can see all right in my peripheral vision, but I can’t see faces, I can’t read and I can’t see the television properly. It’s misty.”
“Staff put drops in my eyes three times a day, plus once before I go to sleep. If I don’t put these drops in, that causes my eyes to go dry.
“I’m blind, but not as blind as I would be without the drops.”
Braeside House staff assist Jeannette with taking care of her eyes, as well as her medication.
“Staff put drops in my eyes three times a day, plus once before I go to sleep, she explains. "If I don’t put these drops in, that causes my eyes to go dry.
“I’m blind, but not as blind as I would be without the drops.”
Jeannette enjoys taking part in activities organised by Braeside House's Meaningful Activities Team.
“I like the quizzes, and before the Coronavirus happened, I enjoyed the talks and the concerts from different people who came here to play.
"I don’t think you could get a better place than this.”
Irene's story
Irene has always loved walking - and she didn’t stop when she started living at Braeside House care home!
Irene goes for walks around Braeside House’s halls and garden every day. Her walking keeps her in great shape for the Braeside bowling competition, in which she often wins the trophy.
Art is another of Irene’s hobbies. Irene is blind, but she loves having paintings described to her. Upon hearing another resident’s painting described to her, Irene was quick to reply: “It looks beautiful, I’ll give it a go”.
At Braeside House’s Tea Cosy Tea Room, Irene enjoys catching up with other care home residents at a safe social distance.
“I like the company of these activities," she says. "It is lovely, sitting with other residents... socially distanced of course!”
Irene says Braeside House’s expertise in caring for people with sight loss can be seen every day.
“The staff are trained well, so there is more understanding of the problems facing people with vision impairment,” Irene says.
“I like the company of these activities. It is lovely, sitting with other residents... socially distanced of course!”