Have you met our furry neigh-bours?
At Willow Rose, we were delighted to be joined by two incredibly cute ponies as they visited us as part of our pet therapy activities programme.
Keep reading to find out more:
Pet Therapy: A Special Visit From Moomin and Lollipop
Moomin and Lollipop, two beautiful Shetland ponies, joined us from Lollipop Pony Parties, a local equine service. They truly won the hearts of our residents during their visit, who loved interacting with and petting them.
The professionally trained therapy horses were escorted around our residents’ rooms, and spent time in the communal lounge areas to ensure everyone had an opportunity to interact with them, regardless of their physical condition.
The Benefits of Pet Therapy
At MACC Care, we love incorporating pet therapy into our care services. Spending time with animals is proven to lower anxiety and stress levels, whilst also stimulating memory and endorphins; all of which are essential to ensuring mental wellbeing.
Reflecting on the visit, Debbie, Home Manager at Willow Rose, said: “Having Moomin and Lollipop visit the home was an amazing experience for all our residents, and seeing all those smiling faces is something we’ll never forget. The past two years have been a challenge for everyone at Willow Rose and the loving, intuitive nature of the ponies helped provide a welcome break from the turbulence of the pandemic.”
Following the success of Moomin and Lollipop’s visit, we’ll certainly be re-arranging some quality equestrian time with Lollipop Pony Parties.
Debbie continued: “Many of our bed-bound residents struggle to engage with traditional care home activities; however, the nature of this visit meant that the ponies could be brought directly to their bedside. This offered an empowering experience for these residents and further highlighted the impact animal therapy can have on someone’s life. By popular demand, we will definitely invite Moomin, Lollipop and their amazing handlers back to Willow Rose in the future. In the meantime, we will enjoy looking back over the amazing images captured and reliving the joy of the day.”
At Willow Rose, we’d like to thank the Lollipop Pony Parties team for creating such a special day for our residents. If you’d like to find out more about its pet therapy services, take a look at the website.
To explore our services, please browse our website. Alternatively, to find out more about our activities, take a look at our social media channels.
