Creatures great and small visit Newmarket care home

Residents at a care home in Newmarket received a surprise visit from some four-legged friends. 

The team at Care UK’s Kentford Manor, on Jeddah Way, were joined by a menagerie of creatures for a day of fun animal therapy. 

 

Residents were visited by a host of interesting animals from local animal charity, Kimmy’s Zoo, including a sugar glider, chinchilla, tenrec, tree frog and a leopard tortoise. 

Everyone was given a chance to feed and handle each of the animals, as well as learning about their characteristics, and preferred food and environment.

Frances Gale, a resident at Kentford Manor, said: “My favourite animal was Stanley the Chinchilla. He was so soft, just like angora wool that I used to knit with! The best bit was when the two sugar gliders jumped on my leg and started climbing on me – that was a right laugh!”

Lijo Varghese, General Manager at Kentford Manor, said: “Interacting with furry friends has significant benefits, especially for older people and those living with dementia, as being close to animals can help lift a person’s mood and stimulate social interaction. 

“It proved to be a real success, and you could see from residents’ reactions just how engaged they were by the chance to get so close to such a variety of animals – it was fantastic to see the smiles on everyone’s face.”

 

“We are always looking to plan interesting and exciting activities for residents, and many of them have a keen interest in nature and wildlife. We want to say a big thank you to Kimmy’s Zoo for bringing the animals along, and look forward to welcoming more animals, big or small, to Kentford Manor soon.”

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Gracewell of Kentford, incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The building has been configured to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among the residents.

For more information on Kentford Manor, please contact Home Admissions Advisor at Kentford Manor, Dennis Green, on 01638 779594, email Dennis.Green@careuk.com.

For more general information, please visit careuk.com/kentford-manor.