As anyone with a pet can attest – animals bring out the
best in most people. When our Sammy was
still alive I loved returning home from Uni to be greeted by his overzealous
joy. Sammy always new how to brighten my
days even on my darkest days he just knew what I needed - from a paw of
kindness gently placed on my leg to a giant lurcher cuddle where you felt like
your whole body was breaking!
There are many articles on the web written about the use of
animals as therapy and all are very well informed and provide excellent links
to find out more but none really demonstrate what Animal Therapy can do for
Dementia Patients.
The Edith Ellen Foundation work in a holistic approach to
care – which means that the Edith Ellen Foundation identifies the treatment of
the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than
just the symptoms of a disease.
Pets encompass the who holistic approach – they just see
you the person not the illness.
Animal Therapy is proven to improve a patient's social,
emotional, or cognitive functioning.
In the UK we have Pets as Therapy a national charity founded
in 1983 by Lesley Scott-Ordish.
So how does Pet Therapy work for a dementia patient in a Care Home?
In a bid to make Care and Nursing Homes more “homelike” pet
therapy has become a popular form of therapy.
And the benefits are well documented.
Pets bring great benefits to all of us - companionship, unconditional
love, and fun. By their very nature, pets do not judge, and they are not
critical.
There have been hundreds of research articles published on
the benefits of pet therapy for people with dementia. Here are a few of those
benefits:
1.
Improved Mood
Studies have citied the benefits of
improved mood and an increase in social interaction. Notably in people with dementia it has should
to reduce the risk of developing depression which can further compromise their
quality of life and functioning.
By involving people in activities with
dogs decreases their feelings of anxiety and sadness and increases their
physical activity and positive emotions.
2.
Calming Effect
Along with improving Mood a study
published in 2008 by a group of psychologists observed a calming effect
following pet therapy.
Importantly it was shown to
significantly lower blood pressure.
3.
Improved Nutrition
Nutrition is increasingly becoming a fundamental
part of care and Pet Therapy has shown that by placing aquariums in a care home
the residents’ food intake and weight increased. This in turn decreased the need for
nutritional supplements.
4.
Decreasing Behavioural Problems
I worked in a residential home for
people with Dementia and we had a resident Cat.
I can honestly state that by having a resident cat as opposed to a
visiting pet that a notable decrease in residents challenging behaviours was
documented.
Types of Pet Therapy
Pet therapy runs the gamut and can include cats, bird
aviaries, trained dogs and fish aquariums. Some nursing homes have animals that
live at the facility, while others have people who bring animals in to visit
regularly.
Some communities also have programs where they'll bring in
animals from the local zoo and include an educational component.
Although most of the research on pet therapy has been
conducted in Care Homes, it can also be used if someone with dementia is living
at home. The presence of a dog or cat at home, for example, can provide some of
the same benefits as noted above.
Finally, remember that animals used for pet therapy should be up-to-date on
their shots, well-trained, and monitored to ensure everyone's safety, as well
as to minimise the exposure for people who have allergies or simply don't care
to interact with them.
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