Whittington House get a birds eye view

As part of World Mental Health Day on Wednesday 10th October Whittington House Nursing Home in Cheltenham booked some animal therapy, in the form of Birds of Prey. Clare from ‘Walks with Hawks’ came back to Whittington House for a visit with three of her birds. We had a Barn Owl, Kestrel and by popular demand the return of the Burrowing Owl, The Might Thor.The residents who wished to participate all donned leather protective gloves, so they could handle the birds as they flew around the room from one resident to another. Clare talked about each bird, giving some background information and quizzing the residents on what they already knew about the different species.All three birds had a huge impact on the residents, as they beamed from ear to ear watching and holding the birds. As beautiful as the white barn owl and the young Kestrel Havoc were, the little Burrowing Owl still remains a firm favourite with all the residents. Thor was then chosen to travel room to room to visit those who were unable to leave their room.An activity like this is a perfect way to engage the residents in a fully interactive experience. The residents, relatives and staff all get a real thrill from having unusual animals in the home. Everyone is looking forward to their next visit!Whittington House Nursing Home in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire is a modern, purpose-built home and provides residential, nursing and specialist dementia care for up to 66 people.If you would like to find out more about life at Whittington House, or would like to speak to a member of our team, please contact us on 0808 223 5396 or [email protected].