Bringing the Show to Seniors at Mercy Place Cairns (Bethlehem)

Residents at Mercy Place Cairns (Bethlehem) had their very own ‘Cairns Show’ experience last week - without even having to leave their popular not-for-profit home.

That’s because the lifestyle and care team at the home has arranged for a host of farm animals to visit residents, and as well as ducks, ducklings, chooks, rabbits and a baby calf, the event also included hotdogs, pies, fairy floss and even a balloon artist.

Mercy Place Cairns (Bethlehem) General Manager Precinct, Zubair Coovadia, says the home’s staff had been preparing for the ‘country visit’ for over a month.

“Everyone was incredibly excited about the animals visiting,” he said.

“Many of our residents can’t go along to this year’s actual Cairns Show, but the fact that they had their own version of the traditional annual event was a real bonus.

“Research has shown how therapeutic animals can be for an individual’s wellbeing, which is why we wanted to bring this scaled-down version of the show to our seniors; for our team here it’s all about ensuring our residents have enriched lives and can continue to do the things that they have always loved.”

Organiser of the event, Wyanita Christensen, Mercy Place Cairns (Bethlehem) Lifestyle Coordinator, added: “The experience triggered a trip down memory lane, whereby our seniors had the opportunity to reminisce about the past and their time spent at the Cairns Show in years gone by.”

Click here to find out more about Mercy Health