Parrots, pirates and plenty of laughs at Chatsworth Lodge Care Home

Ahoy, mateys! Chatsworth Lodge Care Home in Chesterfield recently welcomed two fabulously chatty and cheeky parrots, Inca and Mishka, as they hosted their very own ‘Talk Like a Pirate’ Day. We spoke to Zenka and the team to find out how the day went, and why they’re excited for the duo to return!

When joining one of our warm and welcoming care homes, you can always expect an array of different activities; visits to the local community, themed parties, weekly armchair exercises – but what you may not expect is an afternoon of hilarious, pirate-themed festivities, including a visit from a real-life* pirate and his two adorable parrots!

Tony Dickinson, who runs local entertainment business ‘Parrots and Pirates’, visited the home to celebrate the annual event, ‘Talk Like a Pirate Day’. He was accompanied by Inca, a 13-year-old Greenwing Macaw, and Mishka, a 5-year-old Cataline Macaw, who stole the show with their wonderfully cheeky personalities and all around cuteness.

For those who don’t know, Talk Like a Pirate Day was created 30 years ago by two friends as a joke – but to their surprise, the day became so popular that the day is now celebrated by thousands of people nationwide. It’s a day to have fun with friends and loved ones by talking like a pirate for no absolutely reason!

To celebrate this fun day, the care home was transformed into a nautical getaway - complete with pirate hats, themed games and the resident’s favourite shanty songs. Residents couldn’t resist joining in the fun, and adopted pirate names for the day including First Mate Fred, Deckhand Dave and the unforgettable Soggy-Boot Stan.

Residents loved feeding the birds and getting up close for a chat (or a squawk). “What a delight it is to see these beautiful birds,” said Gladys, resident living in our Chesterfield care home. “We had a fantastic time feeding them, and I couldn’t believe how bright their feathers are!”

Tony kept everyone captivated with fun facts and stories about the duo, and the parrots were more than happy to show off their impressive wingspan and even squawking out a few friendly “hellos” in exchange for their favourite snack - pine nuts.

Home Manager, Zenka Shires, summed it up perfectly: “It was a brilliant time celebrating Talk Like a Pirate Day! There were smiles all around, and the parrots really brought the fun to life. We’re proud to create these joyful, engaging experiences for everyone here.”

From pirate hats to parrot hugs, the day was one to remember - proof that a little imagination (and a couple of macaws) can make waves of happiness at Chatsworth Lodge. A special thank you to the activities team for organising yet another fantastic event for our residents, we hope you loved it as much as they did!

Based in Chesterfield, Chatsworth Lodge Care Home is rated ‘Good’ by CQC and offers residential care, dementia care and short-term respite care. For more information, give Zenka a call on 01246 556655 or visit the website. 

*We’re speculating here…but he does look like a pirate!