‘Happy wife – happy life!’ Horsham care home residents share Valentine’s Day advice

Residents and their spouses at Care UK’s Skylark House, on St Mark’s Lane, enjoyed a special afternoon tea, thoughtfully prepared by the home’s Head Chef, which included a variety of pastries, scones, sandwiches and cakes.

Residents were encouraged to reminisce about their married lives and share their advice for younger couples.

Among those attending was couple, Bill, a resident at Skylark House, and his wife, Pat Wainwright. The couple, who have been married for 12 years, met on a cruise in Papua New Guinea, after they ‘literally’ bumped into each other. The couple spent the remaining cruise journey learning more about each other – as well as the various exotic destinations the cruise visited.

A few years later, Bill popped the question to Pat when the two were taking a stroll around Brighton, at the Royal Pavillion. When asked what advice they would give to young couples, Bill said: “If you always agree with your wife, all is well. Happy wife, happy life”

Keen for the home’s setting to match the theme of the day, team members ensured love was truly in the air by decorating the home’s dining room with rose petals, flowers, heart-shaped bunting and balloons.

Dorota Wolosyzn, Home Manager at Skylark House, said: “We thought Valentine’s Day was the perfect opportunity to encourage residents to reminisce with their partners, while treating them to a special romantic afternoon. It was great to be able to organise a special ‘date’ for them.

“Love truly is in the air at Skylark House, and many of the residents have also been reminiscing and sharing fond memories of their own wedding days; it was lovely to hear their stories too. We’d like to say a big thank you to Bill and Pat for sharing their love story this Valentine’s Day.”

Skylark House has been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives. The home provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite and palliative care.