Westcombe park residents have a hoot of a time at animal therapy session

Residents at Westcombe Park Bupa Care Home have recently enjoyed a visit from some fluffy friends as part of an ongoing series of animal therapy sessions organised to boost their wellbeing.

The session was organised by Activity Coordinators, Marion and Kat and Jambs Owls, after seeing such a positive reaction to past animal therapy days. During the session, residents had the opportunity to hold the owls, and enjoyed an informative talk from Jambs Owls to discover more about the birds.

The VIP guests even visited some residents in their rooms so that they could pet them, ensuring that everyone had the opportunity to meet the charming creatures.

David Wigginton, aged 79 and a resident at Westcombe Park, commented: “I had a wonderful afternoon, it was my first time holding an owl. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they were a lot more friendly than I thought they would be! I cannot wait to see what animals join us next time.”

Another resident, Kathleen Kirkham, aged 90, commented: “I have never seen an owl so close up before, they really are so pretty. I thought they were lovely and so soft.”

Diano Pedro, aged 80, commented: “I had a lovely time with the owls, we had a wonderful talk from Matthew at Jambs Owls, it was very informative. I feel like quite the owl expert now!”

Abbie Kehinde, Home Manager at Westcombe Park, commented: “We had a wonderful afternoon with Jambs Owls. Animal therapy is known to reduce stress levels, and this was evident by the reactions on our residents faces. They were even kind enough to take the birds to resident’s rooms who were unable to come downstairs. It truly was a fabulous afternoon, and we hope to see them again soon. It was my first time getting up close with an owl too. What an amazing experience.”

Abbie added “The most memorable part of the day was watching a particular resident, who is nearing the end of her life. Her eyes lit up as she stroked the owls; it was so heart-warming to see her family cherishing the moment, taking pictures and shedding tears of joy as they encountered the smile on her face.”

Residents at Westcombe Park Bupa Care Home are looking forward to more animal therapy sessions in the coming months.