Real Penguins visit Rowan Lodge Care Home in Hampshire

Residents at Rowan Lodge Care Home expressed a wish for more animals to visit the home, so Terri Eakins, Forest Care’s Group Activity Lead suggested penguins, and their faces lit up.

On the day of the visit, the communal lounges were packed with residents, their loved ones, and staff members, everyone intrigued…and then they appeared, two Humboldt penguins – Pringle and Widget, came waddling through the door.

Faces full of fascination, everybody wanted to touch and cuddle them. One resident Jean said: “It was lovely, I have never seen it so packed here, they just waddled in. I learned that they have a partner for life and their only enemy is the shark. I would love to see them again.”

Another resident Janet, with a huge grin on her face, talked about how lovely it was to see them.

Pringle and Widget brought much joy to our residents, and their popularity has meant penguin visits to other Forest Care homes have been arranged.

Terri said: “Of all the animal visits to Forest Care homes, the penguins have had the most positive impact on our residents’ well-being. Pringle and Widget visited the rooms of our residents who are less mobile and able, and just sat on their beds. Residents’ faces watched them in amazement and were able to recall their personal penguin visit the following day. This is great proof of how meaningful the penguins were, and even weeks later residents are asking me ‘when are they coming back?’”

Stimulating environments, caring teams, onsite nurses 24/7, complementary therapies.

Call 0333 305 1785 or email [email protected] to arrange your personal viewing at a Forest Care home.