Magical Meadows Horse Brings Smiles To Faces Of Nursing Home Residents
Magical Meadows Horse Brings Smiles To Faces Of Nursing Home Residents
Posted
Amanda Bridgman-abridgman@timesuniononline.com
Magical Meadows Horse Brings Smiles To Faces Of Nursing Home ResidentsWINONA LAKE – Residents at Grace Village may not be able to have visitors during the current health emergency, but Monday they had a four-legged friend whinnying outside their windows to bring them a smile.
Four horses from Magical Meadows showed up Monday at Grace Village to walk along the outside windows of the assisted living and healthcare facility, along with volunteers who held up decorated signs of encouragement.
Magical Meadows, 3386 E. CR 525N, Warsaw, is a place that offers therapeutic horseback riding for children and adults with mental and physical challenges. The program was started by Tammy Stackhouse in 2007.
“It started with one horse and one young man with autism in my driveway,” she said.
Stackhouse said her horses were traveling around Warsaw Monday to four different nursing home facilities to try to spread some joy while the residents are prohibited from having visitors.
On Monday, the horses visited Grace Village, Paddock Springs, Mason Health and Rehabilitation Center and Miller’s Merry Manor. On Wednesday, they’ll be traveling to visit clients of Cardinal Services, she said.
Bella – the miniature horse deemed the mascot of Magical Meadows who’s a little bit ornery and “always in time out” – made several residents’ days Monday.
Grace Village resident Ann Lakes waved from her second-floor window and said, “That’s a beauty!” of Bella.
Lena Seeley led Bella throughout the courtyard, while her brother, Luka Seeley, held up a sign decorated with flowers that said “Smile.”
Stackhouse said a few volunteers at Magical Meadows saw on the news that horses were being taken around to nursing homes in Mishawaka, and that they wanted to do that here.
Tammy Smith, director of advancement at Grace Village, said the horses coming by along with the signs of encouragement are great.
“It’s been a month since we haven’t been able to have visitors,” she said. “We do FaceTime and other virtual ways to communicate, but they can’t eat in the dining room or do activities, so this is really going to brighten their day.”
Viola and Carmen, residents at Grace Village, talked out an open door to the horse before a nurse came along and said the current rules don’t allow for the door to be opened.
Norma Roose, who is 96 years old and lives in the independent living section, was hanging out at her window and chatted with the group for a while.
