At The
Westbury care home, in Wiltshire, Residents were delighted to welcome a visit from Ted the therapy dog, and his owner Siobhan.
The duo, from ‘Dogs for Health’, visited the 44-bed residential and nursing care home on 11th May and made their way around the communal areas and Residents who were in their rooms who would like to meet Ted. Dogs for Health is a not-for-profit organisation who offer animal assisted therapy across the local area.
Therapy dogs are proven to have several positive effects on both physical and mental health, with studies showing they help alleviate stress, reduce anxiety and improve social isolation too.
Residents loved talking with Siobhan and petting Ted. They gave him some treats and were impressed that he could do a high-five and give them his paw. It also sparked a lot of positive discussions with Residents chatting about their own pets that they had.
Ted is now going to be visiting The Westbury once a fortnight.
Caroline Randall, Wellbeing Coordinator, remarked, “The visit went really well, and it was great to see Residents interacting with Ted. We can’t wait for the next visit!”