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Mini-horse visits residents at Lower Mainland care home

Gunner turned a visit with grandpa into a major event for everyone at the residence
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Alex Peters brought her mini-horse Gunner to Langley Lodge to visit her grandfather Walter Willoughby, to the additional delight of her mother Terry Peters and grandmother Mae Willoughby. (Bob Groeneveld/Langley Advance Times)

By Bob Groeneveld/Langley Advance Times

Nobody expected to see a horse at Langley Lodge.

But Gunner was exactly the right size to bring back memories.

Alex Peters wanted to bring her miniature horse to the Langley intermediate care home where her grandpa lives.

She hoped it would jog his memory, or at least bring him back to happy times.

香蕉视频直播淗e is one of my top male figures in my life,香蕉视频直播 said Peters of her grandpa. 香蕉视频直播淗e has meant all the world to me.香蕉视频直播

But Walter Willoughby has changed since he lived in Brookswood with his wife Mae.

香蕉视频直播淓very day is a different day for him,香蕉视频直播 Peters said. 香蕉视频直播淗e still calls me by name, but I can香蕉视频直播檛 call him on the phone or he doesn香蕉视频直播檛 know who I am. He knows me when I show up in person.香蕉视频直播

The dementia that has slowed him down has changed him in other ways: 香蕉视频直播淗e was always Mr. Serious, now he香蕉视频直播檚 the jokester, always saying the funny thing.香蕉视频直播

Even his appetite has changed. 香蕉视频直播淗e used to be the skinniest man in the world. He was picky,香蕉视频直播 Peters said. 香蕉视频直播淣ow he eats anything.香蕉视频直播

But Peters was hoping one thing hasn香蕉视频直播檛 changed.

Horses have always been a big part of Walter Willoughby香蕉视频直播檚 life, Peters explained.

香蕉视频直播淪ometimes people with dementia can communicate better with animals,香蕉视频直播 she said, as she prepared her surprise visit with Gunner. 香蕉视频直播淗e might not understand why the horse is there, but maybe it will connect him to when he was in the barns and with the animals.香蕉视频直播

On Monday afternoon, not only was her grandpa enthralled, the Langley Lodge garden was veritably crowded with delighted residents who all had to say hello to Gunner.

Kyle Sanker, who works at Langley Lodge, said that Gunner was the first horse to visit the home, but was welcomed as part of a culture that offers a variety of experiences for residents.

Music, horticulture, and other programs try to involve residents with dementia in a way that help them to connect with something that they loved to do.

香蕉视频直播淪ometimes,香蕉视频直播 said Sanker, 香蕉视频直播渢hey get a nostalgic feeling of being taken back to a point in their life 香蕉视频直播 it comes back in a lucid moment.香蕉视频直播

Peters, who is planning to be a healthcare worker, was clearly pleased at the effect that tiny Gunner 香蕉视频直播 he stands only nine hands, 香蕉视频直播減robably the size of a great Dane香蕉视频直播 香蕉视频直播 had on many of the Lodge residents.

She got the 12-year-old miniature horse as a resuce from Nanaimo, knowing little about him, except that his feet have been 香蕉视频直播渕oderately deformed 香蕉视频直播 not enough to stop him from doing what horses do, but they香蕉视频直播檙e not right.香蕉视频直播

His feet certainly didn香蕉视频直播檛 stop Gunner from delighting a 100-year-old Langley Lodge resident into expostulating, 香蕉视频直播淚 never thought I香蕉视频直播檇 see a horse again, not in my home!香蕉视频直播

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