ROANOKE, Va. – Some local nursing home residents may be a little happier thanks to some unusual visitors.
Two horses from Healing Strides in Franklin County were walked and ridden around Brandon Oaks nursing center in Roanoke on Wednesday.
Residents got to watch from inside.
The nursing home’s assistant administrator, Stephen Davies, said residents had been talking about the visit for weeks.
“(We’re) trying to think of ways, creative ways, ways to think outside the box, ways to keep resident’s stimulated and raise just try to lift spirits," Davies said.
“It puts a smile on peoples faces when I get to be around the horses. So it’s a way that we can get back to a community that supports us during this really difficult time," Healing Strides CEO Carol Young said.
After visiting the nursing center, the horses visited the independent and assisted living center across the street.