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Horses bring big smiles to Kentucky senior home residents

“We get lots of smiles and waves. You know some of the folks want to come out and pet the horses. So it’s been wonderful.”

Traditional visits to nursing home facilities and senior homes have gone by the wayside thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. On the flip side, it has opened the door for creative ways to interact, especially with our most vulnerable citizens. 

Drive-by parties and celebrations, waving from porch to porch and the touch of the window pane have become our new normal to stay connected. Well, now you can now add horseback ride-by visits to the list.

Monday, Senior Home Transitions, a company that places older adults in nursing home facilities or transitional homes, decided to do something to bring a smile to those patients. 

The company brought horses for a stop at one of the facilities. It gave staff and seniors an opportunity to see the horses and take pictures through their windows.

“We were just trying to think of things we could do for the residents because we felt so bad, we know how hard it’s been on them and we thought we like to ride, so why not go ride at the communities. And you know, folks get a kick out of it,” Patti Naiser, who owns the company said.

“We get lots of smiles and waves. You know some of the folks want to come out and pet the horses. So it’s been wonderful.”

One of the residents said seeing the horses is good for everyone's mental health.

“This has been really cool. The smiles and waves we get is just amazing. Makes us feel great,” Naiser said.

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