Familiar routines and much-loved companions turn a place into a home. For Margaret, a resident at Manor Croft Care Home, that companionship comes from her budgie, Joey.
With his cheerful presence and their daily time together, Joey has helped Margaret continue a lifelong love of caring for birds.
A lifelong love of animals
Animals have been part of Margaret’s life since childhood. Her father would often bring home animals he had found, and her first budgie, Billy, sparked a fondness for birds that has stayed with her ever since.
Over the years, budgies and canaries became an important part of her home. When Margaret moved into Manor Croft Care Home, she worried that she might have to leave that part of her life behind.
Following a conversation with Home Operations Manager Caron, it was agreed that Margaret could have a budgie in her room, allowing her to carry on doing something she loves.
Everyday companionship with Joey
Joey is now a much-loved companion. Margaret enjoys talking to him, spending time with him and looking after him each day.
These familiar routines give Margaret a sense of purpose, while Joey’s presence helps her feel calm and brings back happy memories of her family and life at home.
As Margaret explains:
“I was happy living at Manor Croft before, but now that Joey is here with me, it truly feels like home.”
Care that starts with listening
Margaret and Joey’s story is an important reminder that feeling at home means different things to different people. For Margaret, continuing to care for a feathered friend was a meaningful connection to the life and interests she has always cherished.
At Manor Croft, person-centred care means listening to residents, understanding what matters to them and finding ways to support those wishes in everyday life.
For Margaret, that conversation made room for Joey and for a familiar source of comfort, companionship and joy.
