Sometimes the simplest wishes mean the most.
For Freda, a resident at Mearns House Care Home in Newton Mearns, a very special day began when Activities Coordinator Mandy asked her one question:
"If I could make one wish come true for you, what would it be?"
Freda knew exactly what she would like. She wanted to feel special, create some happy memories and have photographs of herself that she could treasure.
A wish with a story behind it
Many years ago, when Freda worked for Slater Menswear, someone she served approached her and suggested that she could be a model. Freda took the opportunity and enjoyed a professional photoshoot. She received photographs from the experience and still remembers how wonderful it made her feel.
Sadly, Freda no longer had those photographs.
So when Mandy told her that Mearns House was going to make her wish come true by organising her very own professional photoshoot, Freda was delighted. It wasn't going to be just any photoshoot. Freda would have her hair and makeup professionally done before being photographed by a professional photographer.
"I felt so special"
Freda describes the day as something she will remember for a long time.
"It was a brilliant day from start to finish. Everyone was so kind and welcoming and made me feel comfortable."
She embraced every part of the experience, from having her hair and makeup done to choosing her outfits, posing for the camera and seeing the finished photographs.
"I smiled, I posed and I had such a lovely time."
There was also a wonderful surprise waiting after the photoshoot. Freda sat down to look through her photographs and choose the ones she liked best, all while enjoying a glass of Prosecco.
"That was really exciting and memorable. I loved looking through the photographs and choosing the ones I liked. It felt like I was doing it all over again, just like when I was younger."
"I'm still Freda"
For Freda, the experience was about much more than photographs. It was about identity: being seen as Freda first, not defined by dementia or by living in a care home.
While Mandy, the photographer and the makeup artist were chatting with her during the day, Freda said something that captured the whole meaning of the experience:
"I was Freda today, not Freda with dementia."
For those precious hours, Freda wasn't thinking about dementia or about being a resident in a care home. She was simply Freda: laughing, smiling, getting dressed up, posing for photographs and creating new memories. The day also brought back memories of a younger Freda, the woman who had once been told she could be a model.
"It reminded me that I'm still me. I still have my personality and the things that make me happy. Dementia doesn't take away who I am."
Seeing the person first
Freda's words sum up what dementia care at Meallmore is about. Care begins with each person's life story, routines, relationships and the things that make them happy, rather than with a diagnosis. Moments like Freda's photoshoot come from colleagues taking the time to ask, listen and act on what matters to the person in front of them.
If you are supporting someone living with dementia, our Dementia Knowledge Hub brings together our guides in one place, from understanding the different types and stages of dementia to choosing a dementia care home in Scotland.
A wish fulfilled
What began with a simple question from Mandy became a day filled with laughter, confidence, memories and moments Freda could call her own. And perhaps the most important thing she took away wasn't the beautiful photographs. It was how the day made her feel.
"I felt like Freda. Just Freda."
A professional photoshoot, a little bit of glamour, a glass of Prosecco and a day spent making memories. Above all, a reminder that behind every diagnosis is a person with a lifetime of stories, dreams, personality and wishes still waiting to be fulfilled.
Find out more about Mearns House Care Home in Newton Mearns, or explore dementia care homes near you.
