We recently had a visit to Queen’s Lodge from a mobile farm which specialises in providing animal therapy sessions for care homes.
Alldays Farm, a country learning farm based in Preston, brought a range of animals to the home, including a miniature horse, ewe, and guinea pig.
The residents enjoyed getting up close to the animals and holding and stroking them.
The vast majority of people who live in Queen’s Lodge, and our three other homes, will either have had a pet at some time in their lives, or had experiences with animals in settings such as zoos or country shows.
Bringing animals into homes does, therefore, provide great therapy for the residents.
Animal therapy builds on the animal-human bond. Interacting with a friendly animal can assist in alleviating numerous mental and physical issues. Not only does it help lower blood pressure and enhance general cardiovascular health but can also release endorphins that in turn produce a soothing effect.
As well as bringing back happy memories of previous pets or animal-related experiences, animal therapy can have positive effects on unlocking memories for people with Dementia/Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimers.net, an online community which supports people affected by Alzheimer’s, said about animal therapy: “While companionship is an obvious benefit, a well-timed pet visit may also help with anxiety and depression. It’s not uncommon to watch someone transition from emotionless to joyful when an animal enters the room, especially if it triggers pleasant memories.”
At Constantia Healthcare we are constantly looking at ways of providing stimulating activities for our residents. Whether it’s through animal therapy, arts and crafts, race nights, fitness sessions or even a life-size game of Hungry Hippos, there’s always something interesting going in our homes.
