Care home workers give residents a makeover with a pop-up salon

A Midlothian care home has created a beauty salon for residents throughout lockdown, as its manager says "when you look nice you feel nice".

With hairdressers closed and residents unable to visit nail salons, the care team at Mansfield Care’s Pinevilla Nursing Home, Loanhead, has organised weekly salon days for those residents who need a touch-up.

Resident Rena Flavel, 88, uses the pop-up salon three times a week.

Ms Flavel said: “The staff do a great job. I get my nails done once a week on a Thursday and get my hair done every Wednesday and Saturday.

“I am absolutely thrilled with what the staff have managed to do during lockdown.”

The women get their nails painted and their hair styled with rollers, curling tongs or hair dryers, with around five residents making it a regular weekly visit.

The male residents get their hair and facial hair shaved or trimmed using a home cutting kit which comes with different sizes of blades to fit everyone’s preferred length and style.

’Some of the ladies were feeling a little concerned about how they were looking’

The salon is providing an important service for the residents, according to care home manager, Denise Williams,

Ms Williams said: “They love it. Usually, we have hairdressers come in or residents go out and get their nails done at a salon, but because of lockdown restrictions, it had to be put on hold.

“Some of the ladies were feeling a little concerned about how they were looking and the staff decided to do it themselves.

“It’s really great. There are a few carers with experience cutting and styling hair so they got all the right hair tools and got it all set up."

She added: “We also have a carer who has experience in doing nails so we have a little bit of everything which is very exciting.

“We felt this was an important addition to the care services we provide. When you look nice you feel nice and that’s what we’re here to do, support our residents’ health and wellbeing.”

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