Animal Cuddles all Round

Animal Cuddles

Olive Tree House and Rose Garden in Bristol recently welcomed a very special visitor, Melissa from Creature Cuddles Animal Handling, who brought along her delightful menagerie of furry and scaly friends. Residents at both care homes had the opportunity to enjoy animal-assisted activities that were both heartwarming and educational.

A Cuddle-Filled Afternoon with Princess, Tia, and Friends

From fluffy cuddles to fascinating facts, Melissa’s visit offered something for everyone. Princess the cat and Tia the dog were quick favourites, bringing comfort and companionship to the residents. The sessions took place in the homes’ cosy lounges and, for those who preferred, in the comfort of their own rooms, ensuring everyone could participate.

 

But it wasn’t just about soft fur and wagging tails. Residents were intrigued by the more unusual guests, including a bearded dragon and a curious little rat. Melissa shared interesting facts about each animal’s care and personality, creating moments of joy, laughter, and learning throughout the day.

Animal Encounters That Nurture Connection and Wellbeing

At Olive Tree House and Rose Garden, meaningful activities like animal visits are an important part of daily life. These experiences can help reduce anxiety, encourage social interaction, and spark wonderful memories, especially for residents receiving dementia care.

 

We extend a heartfelt thank you to Melissa for the wonderful visit and look forward to more animal adventures in the future.

Considering care for a loved one?

Olive Tree House and Rose Garden provide specialist nursing care and dementia care in Bristol, offering both short-term stays and longer-term support. We also offer flexible respite care to support families when they need a helping hand.

 

If you would like to learn more about the services we provide, we welcome you to contact us or visit our Olive Tree House and Rose Garden care home pages. We would be delighted to arrange a personalised tour and answer any questions you may have.

Catherine
Sales Manager

Catherine has worked in sales and marketing her whole career, after graduating with a degree in Textile Management she worked in Corporate Workwear for many years. Catherine’s first role in the care sector was working with a disability charity that ran nursing homes and enablement projects for young adults.

Catherine

While her two children were younger, she joined her husband in his estate agency, but was delighted to return to the care sector in 2020 and now cannot imagine doing anything else.

Catherine’s role with Allegra is to support residents and their families as they explore care options. Working with the teams in the individual homes she ensures that during every stage from initial enquiry through to moving in with us every question is answered, and we offer the reassurance needed for the next chapter in our resident’s life. It is important for our residents to remain part of the community in which will have lived for years, often all their lives, so the other part of this role is connecting with local community groups, charities and organisations.

Catherine has said that working for Allegra with their groundbreaking household model means we are offering a home with compassion and care whilst ensuring residents are retaining their independence and quality of life.

Out of work Catherine enjoys baking and gardening The children are older now, but still keep her busy!

Paul Thomas
Regional Manager - Western Region

Paul has joined Allegra Care with 28 years’ experience in the health and social care sector including working in senior leadership roles for the last 18 years; covering operations, business management and quality assurance. Paul has a real passion for person centred care and how that is delivered at the highest level.

Allegra Team Paul Thomas

Paul has worked across a diverse sector over his time in health and social care and brings a wealth of experience to his new role as Regional Manager. Paul believes in integrating real and meaningful values and culture into a service and in doing so, delivering the outcomes for the people we support. Paul goes by the theory of values with no meaning, have no value.

Outside of work, Paul is the father of three boys and a 2nd degree black belt who teaches Judo.