Residents at a care home in Falkirk have been horsing around thanks to a visit from some new equine friends.
Meallmore Ltd’s Ivybank care home welcomed two Shetland ponies into the home to give residents the chance to meet and interact with the animals.
The visit was by Fantasy Ponies and residents were encouraged to get to know the ponies – named Belle and Pixie – who have been highly trained to handle any situation.
Animal assisted therapy has been shown to be very beneficial in elderly care, as physical contact with the animals encourages communication, can reduce stress and anxiety and even improve motor skills and self esteem.
Julie Newman, care home manager at Ivybank says: “It’s not every day you get ponies wandering through the home, so it was lovely for the residents to have the opportunity to enjoy their company.
“As well as being fun and interesting, animal therapy is also hugely important for our residents as it’s relaxing and can also be a very social activity. Belle and Pixie really lifted everyone’s spirits and were adorable.
“At Meallmore, we’re committed to delivering exceptional standards of care to the elderly and frail and this visit from Fantasy Ponies is just one of the ways in which we try to enrich the lives of our residents.”
