At Holmwood Aged Care, we love animals. We welcome pets into our home as it helps residents with their mental health by decreasing stress and anxiety, helps to combat loneliness and brings a lot of joy.
We have a long-standing history of pets in our home, including a cat that lived here for 18 years. We currently have two cockatiels, Ernie and Bella, and residents love to stop and say hello. The pair are conveniently located near the cafe so there is lots of traffic from residents who stop and chat. We also have staff bring in their pets which is always enjoyed by residents. Some of our staff members have volunteered with rescue organisations and they have brought in litters of puppies or kittens for residents to spend time with.
We encourage families to bring in their pets to visit residents as they love to have them come in, it is a familiar face to them and an extended member of their family.
For Holmwood resident, June, her love for animals is something very special, and being able to have animals in the home only fills her heart. June said, ‘We had a lot of dogs, and cats. We had rabbits, chickens, and a pet cow. Her name was Marilyn, she was a Jersey Cow that got lost one day, we scored her and she lived with us. She was a beautiful milker. I used to go and sit with her in the hay shed. We had a lot of canaries and budgies over the years too. My last dog was Molly.’
As June made the move into Holmwood, she had to let go of her Jack Russel, Molly. ‘One of the lifestyle team here helped me re-home her after I came in here and found a beautiful family for her, says June. ‘I’m lucky because the family that adopted her still bring her in to see me so that’s always nice. That she can keep visiting me here.’
June’s bird Kevin currently belongs to a staff member, but sometimes stays with June.
‘We always had animals at home so having them here makes it feel like we’re still there’ says June.