An employee at a care home in Alexandria has been shortlisted for the Scottish Care Awards 2018.

Sarah Dickson, who represents the activities team at Balquhidder House, has been nominated in the Meaningful Activity category, which celebrates the ability to provide an exceptional range of services and to add to the quality of care and life for residents.

The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony on Friday evening at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow, hosted by Michelle McManus and set to be attended by more than 650 people.

Sarah said: “I am very surprised but thrilled and honoured we have been chosen to be finalists in these prestigious awards.”

Sarah was nominated by Balquhidder director Joan McGregor, who hailed the care home employee and the team for working hard to provide residents with a varied array of activities during their day to day life.

She said: “We are keen that activities are delivered in such a way as to add value to the residents’ day.

“We have built links to the local primary school who now visit twice weekly. Our residents are now invited to the school assembly to see the children in action.

“We also have ‘coming home for Sunday lunch’ – on a rotational basis, residents invite seven family members, choose the menu, make the invites, send them out and host the table with the help of activities, care and kitchen staff. This gives back to the resident their head of the family place.”

Sandra McCombie, who is business support manager at Balquihidder, as well as two Fairfield Care homes in Fife, has also been nominated in the awards.

She has been short-listed in the training and staff development category, which celebrates enthusiasm and determination in identifying training and development needs of care staff.