The elderly residents in care homes in London are being given hens to look after to stop them feeling lonely.
伦敦养老院的老年居民用照看母鸡来防止他们感到孤独。
The project was dreamed up by a local charity to reduce loneliness and improve elderly people's wellbeing. It is also being used to help patients suffering dementia, a serious illness of the mind. Staff in care homes have reported a reduction in the use of medicine where hens are in use.
这个项目由当地一家慈善机构提出以减少老年人的孤独感，改善老年人的福祉，还被用来帮助患有痴呆症（一种严重的精神疾病）的患者。养老院的工作人员报告说，在使用母鸡的地方，药物的使用有所减少。
Among those taking part in the project is 80-year-old Ruth Xavier. She said: "I used to keep hens when I was younger and had to prepare their breakfast each morning before I went to school."
80岁的露丝·泽维尔是该项目的参与者之一。她说：“我小时候养过母鸡，每天早上上学前都要为它们准备早餐。”
"I like the project a lot. I am down there in my wheelchair in the morning letting the hens out and down there again at night to see they've gone to bed."
“我非常喜欢这个项目。早上我坐在轮椅上，把母鸡放出来，晚上再下去看看它们是否睡着了。”
"It's good to have a different focus. People have been bringing their children in to see the hens and residents come and sit outside to watch them. I'm enjoying the creative activities, and it feels great to have done something useful."
“有不同的关注点很好。人们把孩子带进来看母鸡，居民们坐在外面看它们。我很享受这些创造性的活动，做了一些有用的事情感觉很好。”
There are now 700 elderly people looking after hens in 20 care homes in the North East, and the charity has been given financial support to roll it out countrywide.
目前，东北部20家养老院有700名老年人在照顾母鸡，该慈善机构已获得财政支持，将其推广到全国。
Wendy Wilson, extra care manager at 60 Penfold Street, one of the first to embark on the project, said: "Residents really welcome the idea of the project and the creative sessions. We are looking forward to the benefits and fun the project can bring to people here."
彭福尔德街60号的额外护理经理温迪·威尔逊是最先着手实施该项目的人之一，她说：“居民们非常欢迎该项目的想法和创意活动。我们期待着该项目能给这里的人们带来好处和乐趣。”
Lynn Lewis, director of Notting Hill Pathways, said: "We are happy to be taking part in the project. It will really help connect our residents through a shared interest and creative activities."
诺丁山大道总监林恩·刘易斯说：“我们很高兴参加这个项目。它将通过共同的兴趣和创造性活动真正帮助把我们的居民联系起来。。”
