CARE home residents in Otley have become ‘TikTok stars’.

Residents at Anchor’s Teal Beck House have been making a series of weekly activity videos on the social networking service since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Assisted by the homes’s care team, they can be seen dancing and acting along to classic hit songs such as Queen’s I’ve Got To Break Free in a series that’s been dubbed TikTok Fridays.

The videos were initially a simple way for the residents to have some fun while showing their families that they were well during the coronavirus lockdown.

But they have gone on to become hugely popular - with one film of the residents dancing to Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 receiving more than quarter of a million views and attracting lots of positive comments.

Keen TikTok Friday regular June Longley, who is 96 and has lived at Teal Beck House for a year, said: “They’re so much fun!

“I’ve always loved a bit of Dolly and Queen so getting to dance along to them is brilliant, they’ve got excellent music taste here.

“It’s been a really nice way to have some fun but also show my family that I am okay, having fun and being well looked after.

“They really are spoiling us here, but I think we’ve all earned it.”

The home has also been putting on a variety of other enjoyable social events, including tea parties, cocktail afternoons and a regular nail salon, to keep everyone’s morale up during what has been an unusually tough and very isolating year.

And the care team have been using their social media skills to arrange regular virtual meetings - via Zoom, Skype and other platforms - for residents and their families.

Teal Beck House manager Louise Bulcock said: “I’m just so delighted that people are enjoying our TikTok Fridays.

“It was a brilliant idea by my deputy Emma and colleague Rachel.

“It’s been incredible to see how keen everyone is to take part and the videos have been so much fun to make.

“It started as a way of lifting the mood during lockdown and now it’s become the highlight of the week.

“Everyone is keen to watch the latest video and my team keep outdoing themselves with each one.

“It’s not been an easy time for anyone and we’ve been doing what we can to make sure our residents are happy and entertained.

“It’s so nice to think these videos are bringing joy to people outside Teal Beck House as well.”

The home’s TikTok Friday videos can be viewed at https://twitter.com/TealBeckHouse or www.tiktok.com/@emmathackray8?lang=en.

To find out more about Anchor’s Teal Beck House, which is on Teal Beck Approach, call 0800 085 4329.