A CANDY cart and a toiletry trolley are doing the rounds at a Blyth care home to give residents a shopping experience during the closure to non-essential visitors.
The Oaks Care Home, on Durban Street, has stopped all but essential visits in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
With residents advised against trips to their local shops, staff have been bringing the shops to them with the creation of the mobile carts.
Residents can do a little shopping for sweet treats or items for their en-suite bathrooms while remaining in the home.
Resident Florence Cole said: “I love seeing the lovely treats for sale.”
Fellow resident Mary Wilson said: “I think it’s a lovely idea. Especially at the moment.”
Administrator Ann Mielnik originally came up with the idea of turning two of the home’s old medicine trollies into something useful for the residents.
Home manager Joanne Young and activities coordinator Angela Hedley agreed a tuck shop would be the best use under the current circumstances.
Residents got involved in decorating the cart and chose to name them the “Candy Cart” and “Toiletry Trolley”.
Joanne said: “We chose to create the new trollies to give residents the experience of “shopping” for their own treats while remaining within the home.
“They have been a huge hit and the residents look forward to seeing the trollies doing their rounds, bringing them something sweet to enjoy.
“We believe it’s important to give residents a sense of normality during this difficult time and this is one way we’re aiming to do that.”