Tuesday, 12th September 2023
New equine therapy programme for residents of La Llar de Calvià
Thanks to the collaboration of the Es Pas Equestrian Club, residents will interact with horses twice a week
The appointment is every Tuesday and Thursday. The 58 residents of La Llar de Calvià (Senior Citizen's Home of Calvià) and the 10 of the day centre can interact with horses in the residence's own facilities in an equine therapy programme launched this week thanks to the collaboration with the Es Pas de Calvià vila Equestrian Club. The activity has been organised and supervised by the centre's psychologist, Josefina Riera. The special guests for the debut were the ponies Taca and Pancho.
Riera explained that it is “a new therapy model in which the resident changes roles. The resident goes from being cared for to being the one who worries about the horse, getting involved in its feeding, brushing... The horse manages to capture the resident's attention, which favours cognitive stimulation, physical participation, memory reinforcement ... ».
The Llar de Calvià's manager, Juan Caimari, has pointed out that “the value of equine therapy in senior citizens goes beyond the moment, the emotion and the experience of interacting with animals. The physical and psychological benefit of the sessions has been proven, the way in which they establish emotional bonds and develop cognitive abilities. Some of our residents live with reduced mobility that deprives them of outdoor activities. With equine therapy we bring those experiences to their home.
Juana María Prats, Deputy Mayor for Senior Citizens, has emphasised the commitment to improvements in the management of the Llar: «it may seem that everything is done, but that is not the case.
When caring for our elderly, we must implement programmes and activities, trust geriatric management experts and follow their recommendations. Everything we can do to improve the quality of life of our residents will be valued. We must preserve what has been done well, improve what can be improved and open ourselves to new possibilities.