Baby Goats Ronnie and Reggie Bring Bedside Joy To Woodland Care Care Home Residents

Baby Goats Ronnie and Reggie Bring Bedside Joy To Woodland Care Care Home Residents

A visit from a pair of baby goats brought bedside joy to residents at Woodland Grove. Ronnie and Reggie toured the 72-bedroomed home on Rectory Lane for cuddles and snacks with residents in the lounge and the garden.

Those who are cared for in bed at Woodland Grove didn’t miss out. The cute pair were small enough to visit residents in their rooms, putting smiles on everyone’s faces.

“They were just the cutest!” said Andrea Slade, whose father, Lionel Branden, lives at the home. “Little Reggie curled up in my dad’s arms and went to sleep. Dad loved it.”

Woodland Grove is a purpose-built, luxury care home that offers residential, nursing, memory and respite care for up to 72 residents. It regularly brings animals into the home as they are known to have a calming effect, lowering blood pressure and reducing any feelings of anxiety.

It also recently moved in ‘Treasure,’ a pet tortoise who has taken up residence in the garden in a bespoke enclosure.

“Interacting with animals has many therapeutic benefits,” said lifestyles manager, Michela Volpe. “The residents are used to seeing dogs, but they’ve not had the chance to be up close with goats and it was wonderful to see how much they enjoyed it.

“We always think about how we can include residents who can’t leave their rooms, so that they get stimulation and new experiences to lift their day, and Ronnie and Reggie were perfect for this as they were very portable!”

The pair were brought to Woodland Grove by Performing Pets, an Enfield-based company that offers a range of small animals for therapy visits.

“The goats were sweet little things,” said resident Irene Norman. “It was lovely to have them here. I’d really like them to come back again.”

The pair made quite an impact on the home with staff noticing an uplift in residents’ mood for the rest of the day.

“The residents on our memory floor absolutely loved the goats,” added hospitality assistant Tanya Richardson. “They were stroking them and talking to them, and we could see how the animals really brightened how they were feeling.

“Ronnie and Reggie will definitely be invited back!”

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