AN AYRSHIRE woman has gone on her first holiday at the age of 65 to Vietnam after she was able to research her destination through an innovative, digitally enhanced care system.
Margaret Sancken embarked on her holiday in November to spend 11 days discovering the country in Southeast Asia.
For the trip she was accompanied by Gina McClinton, Team Leader, at St Leonard’s Court where Margaret has been a tenant for the last 23 years.
The pair saw the sights and took in the best of what Vietnam has to offer, even enjoying the Asian cuisine with a local family on one night.
Margaret was able to go on her first ever holiday thanks to Blackwood’s CleverCogs™ system, an innovative digital care system which allows tenants to be as independent as possible and take control of their own lives.
Margaret said: “My trip to Vietnam was an experience I will never forget. The country is so beautiful and I got to do some amazing sightseeing such as the Hai Van Pass, different pagodas and we even went to the coconut candy factory in Saigon.
“We had organised a tour guide who was able to show us all the great spots across the country. One night, a local family welcomed us all for dinner and cooked an incredible 
seven course meal. But for me one of my favourite experiences was the day cruise on the Mekong Delta.
“A leaflet that came in the post sparked my interest in the country and after researching it on Clever Cogs I asked Gina if she wanted to come along with me and we booked it soon after.”
Margaret was able to research her trip from start to finish on the CleverCogs™ system.
The bespoke technology tailors each device to the wants and needs of the individual and gives users control over their care and support. It also enables customers to browse the web, email, do their shopping and even catch up with friends and family.
Margaret continued: “At first I was never really interested in using the CleverCogs™ system but I soon discovered it was very easy to use and now I couldn’t live without it.
“It has allowed me to do so much that I never knew it was capable of until I started using it. It’s given the confidence to try new experiences and enabled me to visit places I thought I’d never go. “
Since booking her holiday to Vietnam, Margaret now has plans to go to Australia and spend 26 days travelling across the country which includes a cruise and four day train journey.
Gina said: “I was thrilled to be able to accompany Margaret on her holiday. I had never been to Asia before and it was really interesting being able to experience the different culture.
“Margaret and I had a jam packed holiday and we saw a lot of the sights to ensure we made the most of our trip. It was wonderful getting to see Margaret fulfil her lifelong dream and be part of it all.
“It is great that due to the CleverCogs™ system our tenants get to live as independently as possible and this is epitomised by Margaret and her new desire for adventure.”
