Ashford care home surprises residents with ‘paw-fect’ visitors

A care home in Ashford surprised residents with a special visit from some four-legged friends. 

Care UK’s Montfort Manor, on Kennington Road, welcomed Ushi, a Labrador, for an afternoon of cuddles and games. Residents enjoyed playing ball with Ushi in the home’s lounge and learning about his background, favourite places and food preferences. The dog, Ushi was retired from the Guide Dogs and is now a pat dog for the charity, promoting the Guide Dogs in the community. 

 

Commenting on the day, resident Kath, said: “It’s so nice to have a dog in the home to pet. Ushi is is so lovely and is welcome back anytime”

Roda Williams, Home Manager at Montfort Manor, said: “We were very ‘fur-tunate’ to have a visit from Ushi. It was wonderful to see the smiles on resident’s faces; the dogs created a lot of excitement among the residents and team members alike."

“Being in the company of animals has proven therapeutic benefits for older people, particularly for those living with dementia, as it can reduce anxiety, release calming endorphins, and decrease feelings of loneliness. You could see from the resident’s reactions just how engaged they were when given the opportunity to be in the company of their four-legged friends."

Montfort Manor is a purpose-built care home which has been designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The home provides full-time residential, nursing and specialist dementia care for older people in Ashford, as well as short-term respite care, and incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities, including its own cinema, hairdressing salon and café. 

For more information, please email Customer Relations Manager, Nicola Young, at nicola.young@careuk.com or call 01233 884 619

For more general information, please visit: careuk.com/montfort-manor.