Residents at Dovecote Manor Care Home were recently visited by Herring Green Activity Farm for a one-to-one experience with some of their animals.
Abby, a team member from Herring Green Activity Farm brought along a variety of animals on the day, which included owls, rabbits, a guinea pig and a much-adored skunk named Nelly.
Residents were excited to meet all of the different breeds, learn more about them, and have the opportunity to pet them. Each of the animals was very relaxed and sat calmly as people said hello and gave them a stroke. Nelly is very used to these types of visits and was a firm favourite amongst residents due to her bouncy nature and love of cuddles.
Visits like this enable people with physical challenges to experience time with animals from the comfort of their own home, without the need to travel to a farm or zoo. Breaking down these barriers and having animal experiences visit the home also means people who spend time in their rooms get to enjoy the experience too, as handlers are able to take the animals to people’s rooms. At Dovecote, that’s exactly what happened and there were some wonderful moments created with animals and people in their bedrooms.
Animal experiences also have a positive impact on people’s wellbeing, as animals provide a different sense of company and their presence usually has a calming effect. They can also be a very powerful reminiscence tool to help bring back memories of beloved pets people have owned throughout their lives.
It was a well-enjoyed activity amongst the people living at Dovecote Manor and they can't wait to welcome them back again soon for another enjoyable afternoon with their animals.