Where’s the paw-ty at? Bracknell care home hosts own community dog café

A care home in Bracknell invited the local community to a barking mad event.   

The team at Care UK’s Bickerton House, on Warfield Road, invited local members of the community and their furry friends to its very own Dog Café. 

Attendees were able to enjoy puppy themed treats and drinks while being in the company of furry friends. Dog guests were able to have plenty of fuss from residents, play with the other pooches and they will even have their own doggie cakes. 

The home created the event after being inspired by the positive impact animal visits have had on care home residents’ wellbeing and on hearing how much they enjoyed the company of their own pets in their younger years.

Having dogs in the home not only encourages residents to spend time outdoors, leading to physical benefits, but it also helps them to lead fulfilling lives, improving wellbeing and boosting endorphins.

The event was incredibly successful, and the team have decided to host a regular dog café. 

They team also used the opportunity to fundraise for Pine Ridge Dog Sanctuary, who are currently celebrating their 65^th anniversary, and invited Connie Cuff, a representative for the organisation along. On the day, the team raised £55 in donations, but with Care UK Match Funding Initiative, the total contribution was £110.

Erika Smith, Home Manager at Bickerton House, said: “We enjoyed inviting the local community to our Dog Café. This event provided us with an excellent opportunity to welcome the local community into the home while enjoying the company of furry friends.

“Studies have shown that introducing dogs into care homes can help lift people’s mood and increase social interaction. The human-animal bond is powerful in promoting self-esteem and wellbeing – which our Dog Café event was brilliant for.

“Whether you have a dog or not, we’d really encourage you to come along to our next event – we’re set to raise the woof!” 

Bickerton House has been designed to encourage residents to live active and fulfilling lives, while remaining as independent as possible in a safe environment. The state-of-the-art care home provides full-time residential, nursing and specialist dementia care, and features a bar and café, cinema, hair salon, activities room and garden.

For more information about Bickerton House, please call Customer Relations Manager, Jo Anderson on 01344 989943 or email Jo.Anderson@careuk.com, or visit careuk.com/bickerton-house