Dashing Donkeys bring joy to Guildford care home residents

A Guildford care home has given residents an uplifting day out with a herd of donkeys at a nearby farm. The residents spent time stroking, brushing and cuddling the animals.

A group of eight residents from Claremont Court Care Home, in Harts Gardens, went on a special trip in the home’s minibus to visit Dashing Donkeys in Worplesdon. The home has 57 en-suite bedrooms and caters exclusively for people living with advanced and complex dementia, offering residential, nursing, respite and end-of-life care.

The donkeys stole the heart of all the visitors, and resident, Ann Kimmins, 90, who has been with the home for two years, said with a smile, “I do love this, I do love this.”

The home’s manager, Karen Byres, who has led the team for ten years, accompanied the residents and said the visit was a huge success. “Our residents adored the donkeys!” Karen said. “Some are not very mobile but were able to stand up and hug them.

“There were 22 donkeys around us at one time, each with their own personality. One even put its head on one of our resident’s shoulders, so she was able to hug him.”

Pet therapy is widely recognised for its benefits to older people, especially those living with dementia. According to Dementia UK, spending time with animals can reduce stress, increase social interaction, and bring comfort through sensory stimulation. Residents were able to brush the friendly donkeys and interact with them up close as well as enjoy refreshments during the visit. “It was a very sensory experience,” Karen continued, “the residents could feel and smell the donkeys but trips like this are also about giving them the chance to discover new places and to be out in the fresh air.

“All our residents are living with advanced dementia, and the majority can’t communicate verbally. We could see the positive impact the donkeys had though, from the big smiles on their faces and the eye contact they were making. They really connected with the donkeys and to see our residents reaching out to touch and fuss over the animals, was incredible. There was a real uplift in their mood.”

This year alone Claremont Court Care Home won the Best Specialist Care category – Dementia, at the National Care Home Awards and received a Highly Commended at the Dementia in Care Awards for Innovative Spaces Within Residential Care: Design. The dedicated team pride themselves on their refreshing approach to dementia care and their philosophy that living with dementia doesn’t mean losing quality of life. The Claremont Court family also includes the home’s cats Clare and Monty and pet dog Ruby.

“For us, the most important part of our job is making sure our residents can be themselves and live with dignity, respect and as much independence as possible,” Karen explained. “Our residents can’t always converse, but we know them well enough to pick up on what they need and to support them in the right way.

“As a manager, I’m very hands-on, I definitely don’t just sit behind a desk! I meet with our residents every time I’m on duty and I know their families and loved ones. My door is literally always open and they know they can come to me. “Trips like these are one of the best parts of the job and we look forward to seeing the donkeys again soon!”

Claremont Court Care Home is rated ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and holds a Platinum accreditation with the Gold Standards Framework for end-of-life care.

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