Muirfield Nursing Home in Gullane. Muirfield is a new, purpose-built home, situated in a small East Lothian coastal village. The service provides a modern and high standard of accommodation, and nursing care for up to 60 older people, including some who are living with dementia. There is a team of activities staff who provide 120 hours of dedicated activity time each week. The team has had access to the new, updated RITA activity units for around a year now. Staff noted that “It (RITA) has really benefitted us during the pandemic”. Feedback from the activities team was that “When RITA was in use, or had recently been used, the overall atmosphere in the lounge was cheerful, it had encouraged and created opportunities for residents to have positive interactions with staff, and with each other”.
The activity team had identified that, by teaching the care staff to also use RITA, it meant that they were able to create more opportunities for residents to benefit from what RITA could offer, and residents could continue to engage with the activity, even if care staff were called away intermittently to attend to other resident needs.