A care home has found a touching way to honour a former resident - by installing an aquarium in his memory.
Using funds donated by the resident’s family, St George’s Care Home in Beccles, purchased the aquarium in remembrance of John Bird.
John lived at the home for some time before sadly passing away in January at the age of 81.
Hearing of the care home’s plans to build an aquarium for residents, local aquatics shop, International Tropics, stepped in and donated an array of colourful, artificial plants and tropical fish worth almost £100.
The aim of the aquarium is to provide residents with a pleasant and calming sensory experience, as well as a suitably tranquil way of remembering John.
John was only a resident at St George's for a short while but became a much loved member of the care home family.
John’s wife, Cynthia, said: “I’m so pleased that St George’s chose to use the donation to buy an aquarium for the home.
"John would have been over the moon, too, as he used to keep tropical fish himself for about 15 years.
"He enjoyed watching them swim around and found it incredibly relaxing.”
With studies showing that observing fish can have a positive impact on physical and mental health and that ‘aquarium therapy’ can improve the mood, alertness, appetite and temperament of people living with dementia, the staff at the care home have said that residents are delighted with the new addition to their communal lounge.
Joy Henshaw, registered manager at St George’s Care Home, said: “Our residents have taken to the new aquarium well - some have even got involved with naming the fish.
"As someone fond of fish himself, the aquarium is the perfect way of honouring John and we’re very grateful to his family for their donation, which enabled us to buy the tank.
“We’d also like to say a huge thank you to International Tropics, who were so generous with supplying plants and fish for the aquarium.
"It’s a lovely addition to the home and will bring joy to our residents for many years to come.”
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