Unusual visitors bring smiles to residents faces at Staffordshire care home
Residents and team members at a Rocester care home met an unusual set of visitors, when a mini zoo brought a variety of reptiles and small animals into their lounge – and even into their rooms.
The special visit from The Mobile Mini Zoo took place at Barrowhill Hall, a 74-bedroom residential and nursing home, located on the Derbyshire/Staffordshire border. The home specialises in caring for those living with dementia and memory loss and has a separate household called ‘Churnet Lodge’, tailored specifically for those living with Young Onset Dementia.
There were smiles on everyone's faces when they met the animal line-up, which included “Bob” the Royal Python, “Squishy” the Bearded Dragon, two soft Old English Cross baby rabbits, “Voldetort” the Tortoise and “Sticky” the Crested Gecko.
For married couple Frank and Jenny Telfer, the highlight of the day was meeting “Bob” the snake. Frank, 95, who lives with dementia, and Jenny, 94, moved into Barrowhill Hall a year ago so they could continue living together with extra support. Frank enjoyed stroking the Python whilst Jenny was happy to wear Bob around her neck.
“It was marvellous to have such creatures come and see us,” said Frank.
Animal therapy has been shown to provide a range of benefits for people living with dementia, from reducing anxiety and agitation to improving mood and encouraging communication. Interacting with animals can offer a calming, sensory experience that helps spark memories and create moments of genuine connection.
Fellow resident Helena Bridges, 86, bonded with “Voldetort” the tortoise. “He’s brilliant,” she said. “I love all kinds of animals.”
The animals visited residents in the lounge and also made individual room visits, ensuring everyone could join in the experience.
Resident Charles Briscoe, 72, shared the experience with his sister Betty, who was visiting. Betty smiled from ear to ear whilst watching her brother hold the Royal Python on his lap, which made it an unusual and very memorable visit.
Barrowhill Hall’s activities lead, Kerry Butts, who sported “Sticky” the gecko on her shoulder, said: “The residents had big smiles on their faces during the whole visit. It was a brilliant sensory experience too – the rabbits were so soft and fluffy, the snake was very smooth, and the bearded dragon’s skin was quite rough.
“All the animals were very gentle and calm and they seemed to love all the attention. It was so much fun to do something like this all together and making our residents happy is what this job is all about. It gave us lots to talk about over dinner!”
Team members also got involved in the day, with Home manager Dania Meadows, care assistant Abi Chandrasekhar, resident painter and decorator Miles Jennings and domestic cleaner Naiomi Austin all taking a shine to the rabbits. For domestic cleaners Lily Dowling and Callum Moore and healthcare assistant Jison Varghese Jose Bob the python was their unusual visitor of choice.
Dania said: “The team work so hard, it’s lovely when they can all come together and enjoy new experiences like these with our residents because that’s what it’s all about. It was especially lovely that our residents’ loved ones were able to join in too. We pride ourselves on being an extended family and having these moments and making our residents smile means everything to us.”
