In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs. Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from things like companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.
For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please click Right at Home or call602-569-7240 or email us at info@rah-phx.com. Thank you!
Pet Therapy
From LoveToKnow Seniors….
Pet therapy is a popular method of mild therapy for seniors, and the documented benefits of interaction with animals are physical, mental, and emotional. At the same time, however, this type of therapy may not be the best choice for everyone. Learning about different options helps seniors and their families decide which types of therapy are suitable for different rehabilitation needs.
Kittens are excellent therapy animals.
Pet Therapy Variations
There are several types of animal-oriented therapy, and each one delivers different benefits for different conditions. Visitation Therapy: This is the most familiar type of animal therapy and involves animals – typically cats or dogs – being brought to hospitals, nursing homes, or care centers to visit with residents and patients. Residents therefore get the loving attention of the animal without the necessary care requirements, which is beneficial in facilities where pets are not permitted.
Ownership Therapy: Pets can be valuable as a prescription, and alternative therapy practices often encourage owning pets for the mental and emotional benefits. Individuals interested in ownership therapy, however, should carefully consider the needs and requirements of the animal when choosing a new companion.
Animal-Assisted Therapy: This is a more intensive type of therapy where patients in need of extreme rehabilitation are paired with incredibly sensitive animals – often dolphins or horses – as part of an intensive therapy regime. Interacting with the animals can build confidence as well as refine physical skills.
Individuals interested in undergoing pet therapy should first consult a therapist familiar with the different approaches to determine which one would be most suitable and beneficial.
Benefits of Pet Therapy
The benefits of an animal-human bond have been documented for centuries, and therapy bonds in particular can be strong and positive. The relationship between a therapy animal and a patient, however, extends far deeper than simple companionship: there are physical, emotional, and mental benefits to this type of treatment.
Physical
The physical health benefits of animal therapy depend on which type of therapy is practiced and include:
- Increased mobility from brushing, petting, and walking an animal.
- Enhancing physical skills through intensive therapy riding horses or swimming.
- Increased exercise from caring for the demands of a pet.
- Lowered blood pressure and reduced stress from the gentle nature of the nonjudgmental relationship.
Emotional
Emotionally, animals can provide seniors not only with companionship, but also with other benefits such as:
- A sense of caring and gentleness as many animals instinctively nurture ailing humans.
- Increased self esteem as seniors find they can care for the pet or the animal enjoys seeing them.
- Decreased anxiety and depression by forming the nurturing bond with an animal.
- Reduced loneliness by caring for and spending time with an animal.
- Increased social interaction with other patients or animal handlers.
- Higher comfort levels with other family members who can use the animal rather than the illness or disability as a focal point.
Mental
Animal therapy even provides mental benefits to patients, including:
- Memory stimulation by comparing the therapy animal to other pets.
- Daily purposes based on care needs for the animal.
- Mental stimulation through contact with animal handlers or animal entertainment
In Arizona, Right at Home is standing by to assist you with your Senior In-Home Caregiving Needs. Our trained, experienced, background-checked, caring, bonded and insured caregivers are waiting to assist you with everything from things like companionship, housekeeping and transportation all the way to helping with personal care items such as bathing, continence control and much more.
For Information or Home Care in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Arizona, please clickRight at Home or call602-569-7240 or drop us an email at info@rah-phx.com. Thank you!
Very interesting article. My granddaughter and I worked on a school project about pet therapy last year and found lots of interesting info about how wonderfully it can encourage seniors in care facilities and at home.
Thanks Kaye. In a nutshell, whatever makes us happiest makes us healthiest!
We appreciate your comment and following and recommending the blog out to your friends that can use the info.