Kath becomes TikTok sensation!

It’s not every day that a 95-year-old resident becomes the star of a viral sensation - but that’s exactly what happened to Kath, beloved resident at Chatsworth Lodge Care Home, when the team filmed her happily vacuuming the skirting boards! Now with over 1.3 million views, we asked Kath how she felt about her quick rise to fame, and why she loves contributing to her new home.

Joining the Derbyshire care home in January 2025, Kath’s enjoyment for domestic work started at a young age, and led to a rewarding career as a domestic housekeeper. “Kath was a Housekeeper almost all her working life” said Zenka Shires, Home Manager at Chatsworth Lodge. “She takes great pride in the cleanliness of her home and genuinely loves cleaning.”

Receiving short-term respite care, Kath quickly settled in to the care home and was eager to help out with the cleaning. With the team by her side, Kath was able to take part in her favourite domestic task: vacuuming!

Within just 24 hours of posting the video, Kath’s video received over 1.3 million views on TikTok and 2.6k likes on Facebook, making her a true internet sensation.

Watch the video here

Kath and the Chatsworth team were praised by hundreds of people online, with one user, Amy, commenting ‘Perfect example of person-centred care done right’ and dozens of people congratulating her on remaining active in her later years – followers were also jokingly requesting Kath comes to their home for a deep clean!

When asked about her new-found fame, Kath laughed “I didn’t realise people were so interested in my cleaning! It’s lovely to know that people are enjoying it. I’ve always liked to keep myself busy, and I guess it just shows you’re never too old to be active.”

At Orchard Care Homes, we actively encourage residents to continue enjoying activities they’ve always loved, such as painting or dancing, with the supervision of our friendly and caring team. In Kath’s case, she wanted to continue her domestic chores, which is something she’s always found therapeutic and calming.

Zenka, who recently celebrated 30 years in the care sector, told us how important it is for Kath to remain connected to her lifelong career. “Cleaning gives her a sense of familiarity, and helps her keep active. At 95-years old, she’s clearly doing something right – so why not allow her to continue doing what she loves with the team by her side?”

Kath’s rise to fame shows that social media is not just for the younger generation; platforms like TikTok can provide a space for all ages to showcase their talents, share their stories, and connect with others. For Kath, she was able to show that age is no barrier to living life to the fullest!

As the video continues to rack up views, Kath’s fame shows no signs of slowing down. Whether she’s sharing more cleaning tips or simply living her best life at Chatsworth Lodge Care Home, there’s no doubt that Kath has become a popular figure on the platform. And who knows? Maybe the next viral video will feature her sharing her secret to staying young at heart.

In the meantime, Kath’s viral TikTok moment is a reminder that no matter our age, we all have something valuable to offer – even if it's just a bit of good old-fashioned cleaning!

Rated ‘Good’ by CQC, Chatsworth Lodge Care Home offers residential care, residential dementia care and short-term respite care in the Chesterfield region. Want to know more? Hit the button below or call the team on 01246 556 655!