A Scottish care home worker has given one lucky resident a 'dream date' including a posh dinner and a bouquet of roses in an incredibly kind-hearted gesture.
'Heroic' Ross Gavin decided to go the extra mile for one of his vulnerable residents, 87-year-old Violet Devaney, who lives at Benore Care Centre, near Lochgelly, Fife. Violet even had a complete makeover including getting her nails and hair done during a luxury pamper session, with Ross arriving to pick up his date in a three-piece suit.
Violet and Ross enjoyed a three-course meal at Lochgelly Golf Club, with the 87-year-old grinning ear to ear throughout and enjoying a rare glamorous outing and bit of company. Ross, who has worked at the care home for seven years, said that at the start of the year, they made a wish initiative and he made a sheet with different goals for the year, including treating residents to days out.
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Ross told the Daily Record: "I took it to all the residents so they could add what they wanted to achieve for the year. When I got to Violet, she said she wanted to go out with me. Originally she wanted to go to the pictures with me but she changed her mind and said she wanted it to be a date.
"And it just kind of developed from that. I'd spoken to Violet's daughter and explained to her and she was totally over the moon because she knows how close Violet and I are.
"A couple of days before, Violet said she wanted a curry but then the day of the date, she changed her mind and wanted fish and chips. As soon as I found that out, I called a local restaurant, Lochgelly Golf Club, and booked a table for us.
"I had the three piece suit on, the winkle pickers and was standing at the main door with a bunch of red roses, which I'd found out were her favourite flowers. After pampering Violet and getting her all dolled up, the other well-being coordinator, Sharon, brought her down to the door and I asked her if she was ready to go on her date.
"She had the biggest smile and said 'yes of course'. We've got a good connection and we adore each other. It was a brilliant day.' He joked: "Some of the other residents have heard about our day and they're now asking when it's their turn for a date.
"I've got a fiancee and when I told her I had the first date, she was like 'with who!?'. I explained that it was a resident from work and she let me out for it so it all ended well. But things like this are massively important for the residents. Every one we look after is given the opportunity to achieve something meaningful to them.
"Once they've completed their wish, we simply find another for them to keep it going. We like to go above and beyond by thinking outside the box a bit to make them feel special."
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