Hen Therapy

Project

Peter Ronan CDP Dip.FHP Twitter @CluckingPalace

Certified Dementia Practitioner
 The Residents you will see In this
presentation have all consented for
their Stories to be shared.

We would like to thank them

and their families.

Peter Ronan CDP Dip.FHP Twitter @CluckingPalace

Certified Dementia Practitioner
 A Study in to
the Benefits of
having Hens in
Care Homes.

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 01

 The 3 Steps to Starting

We Pre-Planned We Incubated Eggs We Hatched Indoors

1. Initial Project Proposal I purchased various breeds of The chicks hatched in front
2. Full Business Plan fertile eggs from different Of the residents and we
3. Risk Assessments Suppliers, online and local Placed the playpen in
4. Chicken Care Plan farmers markets. The main lounge.

The Equipment Purchased

The incubator we used was an R-COM 20 PRO for 20 eggs, and an R-COM 10 PRO for 10 Eggs.
I also purchased a folding Puppy Playpen to hold the Chicks and a Heat Pad to keep Chicks warm.

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace

 Chicken Care Plans

Each Chicken had it’s own Care Plan

I created a care plan for each chicken, which recorded

key information about the bird including it’s personality
and characteristics so staff could use the right one
For the right resident, as each chicken had its own
Special personality and one would be good for one but.
Not necessarily good for another resident. Like Ruffles who
could be a bit agitated with some residents, but with Mary
He was cool, calm and collected.

Each time a chicken was used for therapy sessions, it was

noted in their care plan, so the birds could be monitored
And did not get stressed.

All their inoculations were also recorded, in case DEFRA or

CQC visited and asked for the information.

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 05

 Our Objectives

If Hens Could Help Change If Hens are a Stimulating Activity If Hens Could Lead to a Reduction
Residents Behaviour that Could also Help in Bereavement in Medication for Residents

Some resident’s were anxious, agitated and We had noticed that when grieving, people A previous British and American study in to
could be verbally or physically challenging often became withdrawn and quite often Hen Therapy had found this was possible,
due to their varying stages of Dementia. chose to isolate themselves away. we wanted to try replicate this ourselves.

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 06

 Printed Activity Guides

Each Hen Therapy Activity has a Guide

We produced a structured guide for each

activity, which allowed any staff member to
pick up from where another staff left off, in
case of staff sickness, holidays and days off.

Staff found the guides invaluable, the guides

were fluid in structure which allowed staff to
deviate depending on the resources available
at the time of the sessions.

Staff and families were also consulted and

actively encouraged to add their input to
ensure each activity met the needs of the
residents.

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 07

 it... Reduced Challenging Behaviour

Mr A has Advanced Dementia with

Episodes of Challenging Behaviour
Due to his advanced stage of Dementia, Mr A
would often be shouting and swearing at both
Staff and his visiting family, which was
upsetting for his family to witness.

We started to introduce the chickens to Mr A

gradually, with staff often concerned that
He may actually hurt the very young chicks

To everyone's surprise Mr A, expressed his

Own concern for the hens, asking staff
If he was holding it right as he didn’t
Want to hurt it.

When he became agitated, we gave him

A hen which calmed him immediately.

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 08

 it... Helped Residents Who Were Bereaved

Mrs B had recently lost her husband and

became withdrawn, isolating herself away
and not wanting to converse or socialise
with family.
We introduced Hen therapy gradually, firstly by talking
to Mrs B about the hens at the home and gauging her
level of response which were quite positive.

We then started visiting Mrs B with the hens every few

days increasing the time spent with her from 30
seconds to 30 minutes.

We used the same hen each time, to allow Mrs B, to

build a bond with “Butterscotch”.

Mrs B. soon started to talk to staff about the hen when

they went to see her, soon started coming out of her
room looking for the hen.

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 09

 it... Reduced Medication

Meet Mary and Ruffles who appeared on

ITV News & Sky One
Mary was discharged from hospital requiring
Oxygen to be administered 3 to 4 times a day
As her O2 saturation levels could not be
stabilised, and had pretty much given up.

Over the course of meeting the chicks

Mary started a special bond with a
Rooster called “Ruffles”, who we can
say changed Her life for the better.

Mary started to care more about

Herself, as staff monitored her sats
daily, noticed she required less and
less oxygen to the point her
Sat levels stabilised above 95%.

Ruffles and Mary were

Inseparable
Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 10
 Various Activities

DECISION MAKING TOUCH AND FEEL

8 1

ARTS AND CRAFTS HOLDING

7 2

6 3

SMELL AND TASTE VOCABULARY BUILDING

5 4

COMMUNICATION SINGING

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 11

 The Dementia Triangle

The NOW
Hen Therapy concentrated on
helping the residents in that part
of their life where they are NOW.
The NOW

The VOID
The void is that part of the
Dementia where the persons
The VOID
Description here memories fade away. The VOID
cannot be brought back.

The EARLY YEARS

Residents can link The Now to their
Early Years and Hens are valuable
to let residents reminisce The EARLY YEARS

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 12

 How well we Stimulated the Senses

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 14

 Which Activities Improved Behaviour

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 15

 Which Activities Improved Behaviour

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 16

 Which Activities Improved Behaviour

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 17

 Our Therapy

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 18

 Our Therapy

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 19

 Our Therapy

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 20

 Our Therapy

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 21

 On Social Media

We Would Post Daily in a rather Fun Way

We started our twitter account with a unique
fun approach. We wanted a way to share our
stories with the world as light hearted but
authoritative

So I created a series of cartoons that depicted

life at Cluckingham Palace, from the viewpoint
of the hens, with fun stories to match.

We were followed by very senior people within

Healthcare, such as Andrea Sutcliffe head of
the CQC, Sir Des Kelly MBE at the National
Care Forum and Sir Peter Hey CBE President
of ADASS, with some celebrity followers to
boot.

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 22

 The ITV News
* add

piece ended
screenshot
here

with one of the

hens looking
down the lens.

Hen Therapy Project | Cluckingham Palace 23

 The Hend
Please join us on

Twitter @CluckingPalace
Peter Ronan CDP Dip.FHP