A giant snail was one of the unusual guests to visit The Royal Star & Garter Home in Solihull earlier in September.
The gigantic gastropod was among a number of exotic creepy crawlies which residents, relatives, staff and volunteers got to stroke and hold, as part of an Animal Therapy Session.
Other creatures brought in by ZooLab on Wednesday September 18 were mice, a millipede, a hissing cockroach, and a rather adorable rabbit.
The Royal Star & Garter Homes cares for ex-Servicemen and women and their partners living with disability or dementia. Research shows stroking animals can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure and increase social interaction and physical activity. It has also been shown to help battle depression and loneliness.
The visit was arranged by Activities Manager Charlie Wilson, who said:
“Some of the insects and creepy crawlies were amazing to see. The residents loved being able to touch them and were really interested to hear about them from the ZooLab expert.”
ZooLab Managing Director Diane Mathison said:
“It’s always a pleasure for ZooLab to visit The Royal Star & Garter Homes. It’s the very least we can do considering the years of service the residents have given our country. We really hope the residents enjoyed our Animal Therapy Sessions which help stimulate and engage participants whilst promoting mental well-being. It was an absolute joy to attend.”
For further information please contact:
Goolistan Cooper
Communications Officer
e: goolistan.cooper@starandgarter.org
t: 0208 481 7669 / 07391 868796
Cally Madden
Marketing & Communications Manager
e: cally.madden@starandgarter.org
t: 020 8481 7692 / 07881 017299
About The Royal Star & Garter Homes:
The Charity provides award-winning care for military veterans and their partners who live with disability or dementia.
The Royal Star & Garter Homes is a charity founded in 1916 to care for the severely injured men returning from the battlegrounds of the First World War.
Today our friendly, state-of-the-art Homes offer a pioneering approach to nursing, dementia and therapeutic care. We have award-winning Homes in Solihull, West Midlands and Surbiton, Surrey. Our third Home in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, opened in April 2019.
We continue to expand our services to reach even more veterans. In 2018, we were able to support 186 residents in our Homes and 36 guests at our Day Care service. We also offer interim care for young disabled Service personnel. We provided 11,700 individual sessions of physiotherapy and speech & language therapy last year to support our residents’ health, and over 5,600 places to residents for activities, outings and events, to promote well-being.
We are proud to have enjoyed Royal patronage since our foundation, including that of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II from 1953 to the present day.
Twitter: @starandgarter
Facebook: facebook.com/starandgarter
Website: www.starandgarter.org
The Royal Star & Garter Homes is a member of the National Care Forum – the leading voice for not-for-profit care providers. A national perspective may be available from info@nationalcareforum.org.uk or by contacting 02476243619. More details on NCF available at www.nationalcareforum.org.uk.
