Victoria’s Arcare Brighton aged care home has received a couple of unusual visitors – and the residents were glad they took the time to hoof it over there.
Two rescue Miniature and Shetland ponies, Muffie and Texas, were brought into the Melbourne home for some pet therapy with the residents, with many expressing their delight at the visit and reminiscing about their own experiences with horses – including one lady who used to ride them to school every day.
According to Arcare Brighton’s Lifestyle Coordinator, Lea Damasco, pet therapy can have a lot of benefits for older people, including improved mood and behaviour, better memory, and the opportunity for social interaction.
“While we have regular pet therapy and visiting pets, it’s not very often that we have the opportunity to have ponies visit the community.
“Not only was this a wonderful experience for our residents to engage with these beautiful ponies, but we also saw how it sparked a larger conversation within the community, and how it encouraged residents to reminisce and share their stories,” she said.
And don’t worry – everyone made sure to wash their hands afterwards!
