Many magical moments were experienced at Rand Aid’s Ron Smith Care Centre on 20 October, when a gorgeous group of farm animals paid the centre a visit.
First to arrive at the Woodlands garden and recreational area was Stephanie, the pony. Then came a calf, goat and baby goat, a lamb, sheep and seven bunnies, the latter of which needed to be counted on departure because so many of the care centre’s residents wanted to take them home!
“The residents and staff enjoyed the opportunity to interact and bond with these gentle creatures in the morning sunshine. They found the baby animals especially adorable and cuddly and also had fun feeding the animals carrots and lettuce and giving the babies their milk bottles,” says Debbie Christen, Rand Aid’s manager of recreational programmes.
“It was wonderful to see the elderly residents gazing at, holding, stroking and snuggling with the animals, and being in the moment with them. It has been well documented that interacting with animals can be beneficial to overall health and well-being. The physical and visual contact can be calming, soothing and relaxing and can reduce stress and anxiety. The residents were delighted with this special morning,” she adds.
