Rats, reptiles and 'roaches make (planned) visit to Grace Manor

Staff and residents at a Gillingham care home came face to face with a number of unusual visitors recently, when specialist creature handling company Zoo Lab brought a host of scuttling, slithering and slimy friends along for an unusual activity afternoon.

Residents at Grace Manor Care Centre, on Grange Road in Gillingham, were able to handle a giant African land snail, Madagascar hissing cockroach, corn snake and a very friendly domesticated rat as part of the visit by animal handling experts from Zoo Lab, who make regular visits to the home to entertain the residents.

“Pets play a large role in the lives of residents at Grace Manor – we’ve got our own cat called Billy who generally takes up residence in the reception area, and families often bring in their pets, particularly those who belonged to residents who have moved here,” comments Jacqueline Grant, manager of Grace Manor.  “These creatures were rather different to our pet visitors, but residents really enjoyed meeting and handling them!”

Animal visits are just one of the ways staff at Grace Manor keep their residents happy and active; the home regularly welcomes local musicians and performers – with residents a particular fondness for Elvis and Sinatra-style concerts – and plans are currently underway to introduce armchair Tai Kwando!

“We look after people with a wide range of care needs, from those looking for short-stay respite and post-operative care, to those needing a long-term care solution, with a specialist unit for those with dementia, and across the board, we know how important it is to keep our residents stimulated and, where possible, retaining a sense of their own individuality and independence,” adds Jacqueline.  “Our packed events programme is at the heart of this, whether that includes sessions designing new frescos for our walls, or summer trips out to the coast.”

Grace Manor is a beautiful listed building, featuring 53 individually-designed and furnished rooms, set in its own stunning grounds, which includes ruins of a church and a wall of Gillingham’s Archbishop’s Palace. The gardens are made up of an enclosed courtyard, a mature garden to the side of the building and a lawned area to the front. 

Grace Manor is part of the Forest Healthcare group of homes, which includes 12 individual homes throughout the South East of England.  For more information on Grace Manor, please visit www.foresthc.com or call 08444 725 170.  If you are interested in looking around Grace Manor with a view to choosing the home for a loved-one, visits are welcomed at any time, with no appointment necessary.

ENDS

For further media information or photographs, please contact:

Jay Commins

Pyper York Limited

Tel:         01904 500698

Email:    jay@pyperyork.co.uk