Animal Interactions Increase Quality of Life
I found this article, thought you may enjoy it too. As we all know Pets are wonderful additions to our lives. The only thing I will mention is House pets are not always possible. It takes the entire staff to be ok with a pet in the community. If they are not or pets are not accepted in some cultures it can be unfair to the house pet. That being said enjoy.
Many of us will agree; having a pet makes you feel good, both mentally and physically! The unwavering loyalty and unconditional love felt through these creatures is guaranteed to pull you out of your darkest days. This doesn’t change as we get older. What does change, is the older we get, the more difficult it can be to independently care for a pet. Pets often play a large role in an individual’s life and are mourned greatly after they are gone. For many people, being a pet owner is a life-time role that isn’t continued when they move into a long-term care facility.
Why not? This is a time in a human being’s life when they are mourning the loss of independence, the loss of health, and sometimes- the loss of love. If ever there was a time when a human being needed unwavering loyalty and unconditional love, this is it. It is very difficult to substitute the feeling of peace and love that an individual receives when spending time with an animal- so why try to substitute it? There are many resources in your community to assist in developing an animal visiting program. Do your research and learn how you can continue the life-long role as pet owner and animal lover in your facility. There are many options!
Animal Therapy has changed over the years. Instead of only having dogs in this role, many facilities and organizations have branched out to provide cats, bunnies, mini-horses, donkeys, alpacas, llamas, pigs, birds, fish, rats, guinea pigs, chinchillas, sugar gliders, and other animals for pet therapy.
Providing animal-assisted activities or pet therapy in your facility can assist residents in numerous ways. One of the fastest changes is the hormone levels in the brain. A positive interaction with an animal creates a chemical chain reaction in the brain that lowers cortisol (a stress-inducing hormone) and increases serotonin (a “happy” hormone). This chemical chain reaction leads to feelings of peace, calm, and relaxation. After only 15 minutes, an individual’s heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels immediately drop.
Repeated animal interactions can lead to reduced over-all stress, reduced depression, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and can help protect against heart conditions and stroke. That is a long list of physical and mental benefits. And, there’s more!
Sadly, residents sometimes feel that they no longer serve a purpose. This belief can result in feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. Give someone a purpose! Loving and caring for an animal gives many people a feeling of purpose. Having a resident pet, brush, feed, or walk with a pet provides physical activity and way to be purposeful and engaged. Pets can make the elderly feel needed. Feeling needed will result in a sense of purpose, self-worth and higher self-esteem. This stage of life can often be lonely for an individual, resulting in them pulling away from others. The unconditional love and loyalty of an animal often causes a renewed interest in life!
With renewed interest in life, an animal will often assist an individual to stay engaged and active. Many residents benefit from the mental stimulation and education from a new relationship with an animal. It’s common for a resident to wish to research the type of animal or breed to learn how to best interact with and assist the owner during the visits. These visits provide reasons for social calls, increasing social interaction and lessening loneliness.
The comfort that the animal provides during the visits often extends to times when the resident is alone. After a relationship is developed between the resident and the animal, many residents confide that they talk to the pet even when they are not in the room. Resident’s state it is comforting to confide in them and that it assists them in working out choices and anxieties. Having a picture of the animal in the resident’s room is another way to provide comfort for when the resident is feeling physically poor and unable to have the pet with them at the time.
Animal visits have also proven to be a powerful tool during episodes of sun downing as well as anxiety and depression related to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The animals' non-verbal communication is often soothing during these episodes and can also bring back memories of a loved one’s own pets. Pet visits during the late afternoon and evenings have shown to keep resident’s anxiety levels down during a time when many residents tend to feel more agitated.
The most powerful changes reported after animal interactions have been improved appetite and renewed vocalization. No matter the ‘size’ of the interaction you witness, know that you are giving a human being the opportunity to continue a valuable life role and the opportunity to receive unconditional love and emotional support in a way that is unparalleled.
Pets are an integral piece of the social support network for many individuals and positively contribute to health, well-being and quality of life. Remember, moving to a LTC facility does not mean giving up the vital bond to the animal world. There are countless ways to integrate pets into your communities and the benefits to the elderly is overwhelming.
Written by Colleen Knudson, AC-BC, CADDCT CDP
NAAP Membership Trustee
