Dementia patients enjoy visit from alpaca at their care home

By Sarah Ward via SWNS

Dementia patients enjoyed a visit from an alpaca that met them at a care home.

Fluffy alpaca Annie, aged one, went for a trek around Parklands Care Home in Alloa, Scotland

Annie, who stands five foot tall, proved a smash hit with seniors who live at the 60-bed facility which includes specialist dementia care.

She met some residents in the lounge and also visited others at their bedroom doors, on her first visit.

Animal assisted therapy has been shown to be very beneficial in elderly care as physical contact encourages communication, can reduce stress and anxiety, and even improve motor skills and self-esteem.

Annie was brought to the home by The Alpaca Trekking Centre in Stirling and will be back in 2022.

Angela Martin, care home manager of Parklands, run by Meallmore Ltd, said: "It's not every day you get an alpaca wandering the corridors of our care home.

"We were all overjoyed to meet Annie and her visit made the atmosphere of the home just phenomenal.

"At Meallmore we're committed to delivering exceptional standards of care and activities to our residents and this first visit from The Alpaca Trekking Centre is just one of the ways we enrich the lives of our residents.

"We can't wait to welcome them back next year."