A Brechin care home resident has revealed why she got her first tattoo aged 88.
Ruth Birkett was surprised with a trip to Kraken Tattoo Studio in Montrose by staff at Bearehill Care Home.
It came after the pensioner revealed to carers she had always wanted to get inked.
She was joined by 97-year-old best friend May Henderson as she went under the needle for 15 minutes to get a tattoo of the letter ‘K’ on her left arm.
Ruth told The Courier: “I’ve always wanted a tattoo.
“Years ago I said I was going to get one and it just never happened. I never thought a thing about it.
“I mentioned it once to the nurses here and before I knew it, I was driven to Montrose to get it done.
“It was all arranged, transport and everything. May was terrified but said that I didn’t budge.
‘It was a bit ticklish – I’ve had worse kisses’
“It was all fine and took no time at all. It was just a bit ticklish – I’ve had worse kisses.”
The K is in honour of her great-granddaughter Kayleigh.
She said: “I haven’t seen her yet and her dad will tell her.
“She enjoys coming to see her gran in the big house and she gets to meet all my brothers and sisters.”
Originally from Hamilton, Ruth moved to Angus last year and says living in Bearehill has “given me my life back”.
She said: “I got my memory back, I can remember the names of my family.
“I thought I may have had dementia but everyone here lets me know that it’s just old age.”
Ruth says despite waiting 88 years to get her first tattoo, it may not be her last.
She added: “I did think about getting ‘care home’ tattooed on me but that’s quite long.
“We just had a cat arrive at the house today called Bear and he’s lovely, I may get a tattoo of him.”
Care home manager: ‘Life doesn’t end here’
Richard Lake, who has just started as manager of the care home, says he wants residents to have the same opportunities as those living in the wider community.
He said: “We want to carry on with these kind of things, treating those who live at Bearehill with outings and surprises.
“People think that when they arrive at a care home they’ll be stuck indoors and won’t get the opportunity to do things outside.
“We want everyone to know that their life doesn’t end here.”
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