Glen Meadows Retirement Community, Notchcliff Farm, Partner To Help Senior Citizens Become More Active
GLEN ARM, Md. (WJZ) -- Glen Meadows Retirement Community and Notchcliff Farm in Glen Arm, Md., are partnering to help senior citizens become more active.
Senior citizens of Glen Meadows Retirement Community visit Notchcliff Farm twice a year to get outside, pet the horses and become more socially interactive.
"For the residents, any moving around matters," Jennifer Perkovich, Fitness Director at Glen Meadows Retirement Community, said. "Walking, petting the horses, just getting out in nature instead of being inside. We try to make everything purposeful, spiritual, intellectual, physical and social."
Residents of Glen Meadows Retirement Community can see the farm from their development.
They made their first visit to the farm in May of 2018 and said that they enjoyed their experience, so much so, that they wanted to continue to go back.
"I love it, we see the horses from our yard and I enjoy them," Bobbie Hess, a resident of Glenn Meadows Retirement Community, said. "This is the first time I've been up close and personal with them. I was able to touch them and feed one of the horses this morning. That was so much fun. I've never done that before."
Alaia Thomas, the Barn Manager for Notchcliff Farm, said that the partnership was a win-win for everyone involved.
"We have a lot of senior horses here," Thomas said. "It turned out to be a win-win situation where the residents came over and really enjoyed it. They developed a bond."
Glen Meadows Farm Retirement Community said that petting the horses and being around them has the same benefits of service dogs and cats for the seniors.
There are currently 19 horses on Notchcliff Farm, five of which are retired thoroughbreds.
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