Residents from Neath House Care Home recently welcomed Lucia’s Tiny Animal Farm into their home for a day of animal interaction with a variety of different species.

Everyone was excited for this activity, as the people living at Neath House love to spend time with animals, learn more about them, and feel the textures of their fur/skin when they pet them. Lucia’s Tiny Farm differs from other types of animal visits they receive at Neath House, as she has a variety of different reptiles and pets, from tortoises and bearded dragons to mice, guinea pigs, and rabbits.

Spending time with animals has a profound impact on a person's wellbeing, especially if they live with dementia, as animals provide a different sense of companionship, and meeting various breeds and species provides multisensory stimulation.

When Lucia’s Tiny Farm arrived, the host began by introducing people to the animals she had brought along with her and shared some interesting facts about where they originate from, what they eat, and how they like to spend time.

The animals were then placed on people’s laps so they could spend time connecting with them and feeling the textures of their bodies.  Residents enjoyed spending time with each of the animals and you could see from the smiles around the room that the activity had boosted everyone’s mood. The activity host then gave some of the people taking part leaves/treats they could feed to the animals which added to the excitement of the day.

After the communal session came to a close, the animals were taken around the care home to people spending time in their bedrooms with the help of volunteers from Milton Keynes College. This was a welcome surprise and many happy memories were made as people interacted with the different species.

Lucia’s Tiny Farm spread smiles and happiness around Neath House during their visit, so the team will be welcoming them back again soon for another exciting day of animal interaction.