The simple pleasure of a meal together is enjoyed again at a Borders care home

Residents and families are reuniting at QME Care in Angraflat Road to enjoy Sunday lunches together once again as Covid-19 restrictions are eased.

It was an emotional day for Rosemary and Luuk Van Der Does and staff as the couple were once again able to enjoy the simple pleasure of a meal together.

Luuk visits his wife 84-year-old wife every day at QME Care, where she has lived for the last two-and-a-half years.

But for more than a year they have been unable to sit down for a meal together due to Covid restrictions.

Now the relieved couple can look forward to sharing many more mealtimes going forward.

There was big excitement for the first Sunday lunch in months, with some of the care team coming in early to make sure Rosemary was all ready for her ‘date’.

The pair enjoyed a candlelit romantic meal prepared by the dedicated kitchen team lead by head chef Mandy, and served up by Anne and Steven.

Unlike other care homes, QME is lucky to have Place and Space, their community Resource centre, so has the space to be able to host Covid-Safe family get-together’s as restrictions start to ease.

Despite socially distanced visits and video calls; nothing quite beats being able to share a home-cooked meal with a loved one.

Kelly Brown, chief executive at QME Care said “The new Sunday lunch service is fully booked for the next four weeks where we look forward to hosting more residents reuniting and sharing a meal once again with family and friends.

“Staff at QME are so pleased to be able to reintroduce Covid safe visits and see residents once again being able to spend time with their loved ones after such a difficult year.

"This is vital to residents wellbeing and has given the team such a boost to see the residents have the face-to-face contact they’ve been longing for.”

Luuk and Rosemary said that having that time together after over a year meant the world to them, and look forward to having many more meals together in the future.