Residents were thrilled when they had a visit from friendly Alpacas as part of an ‘animal therapy’ initiative.
Petersfield residents and staff welcomed their new friends Casper and Renegade, who live at Lane House Alpaca Farm in Chippenham, to the Shaw healthcare-operated home for the therapy session.
For the less mobile residents, the furry duo paid special visits to their rooms, so they didn’t miss out.
Alpacas are a close relative of llamas and live predominantly in South America. Their calm and docile manner has been found to benefit elderly people and those with behavioral issues, and holding and stroking animals can help reduce blood pressure, lower pulse rates and alleviate feelings of tension and anxiety.
Lin Rees, service manager, said, “We are always looking for new and interesting activities for the residents, but this one was really quite novel.
“Friendly and furry animals always prove very popular and can be found to be very therapeutic for the residents. It isn’t every day we have Alpacas wandering around the home and everyone loved it, and will look forward to future visits.”
