Edna’s Story of Reconnecting With Hobbies and Finding Joy at Yarnley House
When Edna joined us at Yarnley House Care Home in Ringwood in August 2025, she brought with her a lifetime of rich experiences and cherished memories. At 100 years old, Edna had lived a remarkable life, from her time in the Land Army working on a farm in New Milton to later following her love of animals on a dairy farm near Fordingbridge, where she met her husband. Regardless of where she visited, horses had always been at the heart of her story.
As Edna became more frail, her family decided to seek residential care in an environment where she could feel safe and supported around the clock. When she first arrived, Edna was a very reserved lady. Living with hearing difficulties and poor eyesight made it harder for her to engage with activities, which led to her becoming withdrawn and finding it difficult to connect with the world around her.
Creating Connection Through Meaningful Experiences
Understanding each resident’s life story is at the heart of our approach at Yarnley House, and it quickly became clear how important horses were to Edna. After spending some 1:1 time with Edna, our team felt that Edna wasn’t fulfilled with photos alone due to her eyesight difficulties and arranged for therapy horses to visit the home each month, including a very special horse named Mr Kellogg’s.
The impact was immediate and incredibly moving. Being able to touch, feel and connect with the horses in person created a powerful emotional response for Edna. These moments helped her reconnect with her past and sparked a renewed sense of joy and recognition.
Paola King is part of our Activities Team and has formed a special bond with Edna. She shared some words on how regular visits from Mr Kellogs have affected her well-being: “Seeing Edna with the therapy horses was very moving, the connection was profound. We are thrilled to have found ways to improve her overall quality of life and make each day rich and meaningful”.
From that point, Edna began to re-engage with daily life in a way we had not seen before. Over the following weeks, her confidence grew, and within a couple of months, there was a clear and positive change in her well-being. She started joining group activities and continued to become a familiar and much-loved member of our community.
Edna now regularly takes part in our gardening club, enjoys armchair exercises and sings along with enthusiasm in our choir. Music has become another meaningful way for her to connect and often brings smiles of recognition and enjoyment. Our Care Worker, Gracie Bradley, shared some lovely words about Edna and her involvement in our choir: “It’s lovely to see Edna smile when she recognises a song when she is in the choir. It is a special reminder of how we have tailored our care to support her individual needs.”
She also enjoys spending time in our Bistro, where coffee and pastries are a firm favourite. With the support of our team and a special bond formed with our Activities Coordinator, Edna has rediscovered a sense of purpose, comfort and belonging.
More Than a Care Home in Ringwood
At Yarnley House Care Home in Ringwood, we believe that truly personalised care means understanding what matters most to each individual. By taking the time to learn about our residents’ lives and memories, we can create meaningful experiences that support emotional well-being as well as physical care.
Edna’s journey shows how thoughtful, compassionate care can help residents reconnect with the things they love and rediscover joy in everyday life. From 24/7 care support to engaging activities and a welcoming environment, we are here to ensure every resident feels valued and at home.
If you would like to learn more about life at our care home in the New Forest, please contact our friendly team to arrange a visit. We would be delighted to show you how we support our residents to live happy and fulfilling lives.
