Norman the poodle highlights importance of pets as therapy

5th March 2024

We all know what the companionship of an animal can have on a person’s health and mental wellbeing. The residents at Elm Bank are thrilled to have Norman a beloved Pets as Therapy dog visit on a regular basis. Normans owner, Sandy, has been coming to the home putting smiles on the faces of all the residents for over a month. Sandy has had Norman since he was a puppy, saying, “I remember the time when he was small enough to fit in the palm of my hand”.

Marvellous Bindura, General Manager said, "The work Pets as Therapy do, is amazing, to see the residents smile when they see Norman is so rewarding, Sandy is a volunteer that takes time out of her own day to come in and make us all happy. We as a home embrace volunteers and Sandy and Norman are a pair that we are very lucky to have”

Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.

Elm Bank care home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals. Elm Bank provides residential and dementia care for residents from respite care to long term stays.

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For more information please contact Marvellous Bindura, General Manager at Elm Bank on 01536 313520, or email [email protected]

Note to editors

Barchester Healthcare is one of the UK’s largest care providers supporting older people living independent lives with dignity and respect. Providing a wide range of services for a variety of needs, Barchester Healthcare supports over 13,000 residents across 258 homes and hospitals for short breaks to long term stays.

A leading care provider over the last 30 years, Barchester services include residential care and nursing care tailored to the individual. Barchester also provide expert dementia care. Many Barchester homes feature a Memory Lane Community, which is a dedicated part of the home designed to support residents who are living with various stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia, to stay as independent and active as possible. Barchester also have dedicated services that provide specialist care for those who require neuro rehabilitation, as well as care for those with Parkinson’s or Huntington’s disease. Barchester have six independent mental health hospitals that offer functional and organic mental health services.

Once again Barchester Healthcare is proud to be named winner of the RoSPA Health and Safety Award for the Healthcare sector for its contribution to occupational health and safety.

At Barchester, we celebrate life and make sure the people we support do too. Our teams of well-trained staff focus on the individual needs of each resident and are passionate about independence, dignity and choice for all residents in their care. We employ motivated, attentive staff, who are committed to a high standard of care. For more information on the wide range of career opportunities available at Barchester, visit www.barchestercareers.com

To find out more about Barchester or to find your closest care home, please visit our website www.Barchester.com.