Bedhampton Care Home Residents Are Visited By A Friendly Duckling For A Morning Of Fun And Mischief

Portsdown View, a luxury care home in the Connaught Care Collection, was recently filled with smiles and laughter after a cute little duckling was hatched at the home. The residents had the pleasure of witnessing the hatching process live, and enjoyed cuddling and playing with their furry new friend!

The scheme was intended as a form of ‘animal therapy’ for the residents; which studies show can improve mental wellbeing and reduce stress levels for people living in care settings. It also brought smiles to the faces of many residents, who greatly enjoyed bonding over their shared love of animals.

Pippa Mafunga, General Manager at Portsdown View, comments:
“Spending time with animals is such a wonderful way to improve a resident’s day! Animals are not just cute and fun; they are also often naturally affectionate and can help humans connect and engage with each other as well. We knew we had a lot of animal lovers in the home, but we didn’t expect such a universally positive reaction to our special guest!”

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has a long history, having been used as far back as 1792 to provide physical, social, and emotional support for humans. Studies show that – by providing regular companionship for patients – contact with animals can reduce blood pressure, decrease loneliness, and even help manage depression and anxiety.

Spending time with animals can also be beneficial for people living with dementia by giving them a valuable outlet for emotional connection. According to the Alzheimer’s Society: “if a person with dementia is having trouble communicating with others or having conversations, looking after a pet may help them to stay engaged and involved”.

By arranging the hatching, the staff at Portsdown View wanted to create some wonderful new memories for the residents, whilst allowing them to relive some of the joy of caring for their own pets when they were younger.

Pippa Mafunga again:
“It was a pleasure to see everyone’s eyes light up as soon as the duckling entered the room. The bond between animals and humans can be truly special, and it’s important to us that residents keep that connection when living in care. In the coming weeks we will be organising more surprise visits from the animal kingdom – so watch this space!”