Alpaca care home visits 'providing joy'

A care home is regularly delighting its residents with animal visits to help provide important interaction and stimulation.

Magdalen House Care Home in Hadleigh, Suffolk, allows people to meet a range of animals and insects to bring joy into their lives several times a year.

From donkeys to dogs to even spiders, the residents have had a vast number of visits and most recently welcomed alpacas.

Activities manager Marianne Refurn said the alpaca visits helped residents with wellbeing, stress and general tranquillity.

"We always make sure they're here at least once a year, sometimes twice a year, but they are definitely a regular here," she said.

"The exercise a sense of wellbeing, stress-reduction, emotional wellbeing, peace and tranquillity."

Ms Refurn said there was a visible change in residents following the visits.

"It benefits our dementia residents a lot more because for them it's like they're seeing them for the first time," she said.

"It definitely stimulates their minds... you'll definitely notice a difference on all of their faces."

She added that providing this interaction and ensuring the residents' wellbeing was "one of the most important things you can do in a care home".

In December, the residents will welcome donkeys and the Lavenham Falconry was planning on bringing owls to the care home.

Jo Bridge is the founder of Hilly Ridge Alpacas near Wattisham.

She brought three alpacas for their latest visit, including one-year-old and first-time visitor Fade to Grey.

"Not all alpacas will do therapy. They have to be comfortable, really inquisitive and want to come inside like this," she explained.

"We do an extensive programme of therapy with them so it could take weeks, it could take months.

"[Fade to Grey is] comfortable in here; he's comfortable being petted; we're watching him all the time.

"If we think he got stressed in any way we would take him outside."

Ms Bridge has had alpacas since 2012 with a current menagerie of 60 and said they were the "most loving, easy to keep animals".

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