Local Care Home Residents Go On Safari

Staff and residents at Barchester’s Hugh Myddelton House care home in Enfield were treated to an exciting live streaming tour of Knowsley Safari, hosted by Engagement Assistant, Verity Dann.

Knowsley Safari has been welcoming visitors for 50 years since it opened in July 1971. Situated in the Knowsley area of Merseyside, the safari park is home to 750 animals on a 550 acre site, it boasts the longest safari drive in the UK.

Verity’s workshop took a peek behind the scenes at Knowsley to find out what it is really like to work in such a demanding yet rewarding world. Residents discovered what a day in the life of a keeper entails from feeding time with the giraffes and meerkats through to training sessions and everything in between. Verity explained some of the conservation projects that Knowsley Safari is involved with and how this is positively affecting some of the world’s most endangered species.

Verity says: “We really enjoyed being able to show the Barchester residents a selection of the fantastic animals we have at Knowsley Safari, we are very proud of the work our brilliant teams do here. We were just so happy to be able to share our passion for wildlife conservation and answer all the residents’ questions.”

Lucy Tomlinson, Resident Experience Manager for Barchester Healthcare, commented: “We have been using technology to keep our residents and patients connected with their loved ones as well as offer live streaming events, entertainment and activities throughout the pandemic. We are excited to work with our amazing partners like Knowsley Safari to bring a wide range of different experiences into our homes for all to enjoy, particularly as this talk provided such a lovely opportunity to see so many different animals and learn all kinds of intriguing facts about them.

“Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active and socially connected, providing a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities,” Lucy added.

General Manager, Ramona Stanciu said: “Our residents are fascinated by animals and so we were delighted to be able to take part in this fantastic workshop. It was brilliant to be able to ask Verity and the team questions about their experiences of working with the different animals.”

We are welcoming new residents into our homes to ensure that we are there for those that need care and support. We’re making our homes as safe as possible and will ensure that all new residents and staff are vaccinated before moving in or working in our homes. Please do give us a call on 020 8886 4099 if you are looking for care or need any further help.

Hugh Myddelton House is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering high-quality care across its care homes and hospitals. Hugh Myddelton House provides [nursing care, residential care, respite care.