People of all ages can form a special bond with animals, so it’s no wonder why pet therapy serves as a mood booster. Senior living homes offer pet therapy for emotional support or entertainment for residents. In addition to brightening someone’s day, pet therapy comes with benefits that can improve seniors’ physical, emotional, and mental health.
Benefits of Pet Therapy
- Mental Stimulation – Teaching a pet a new trick encourages mental acuity and problem-solving skills.
- Boost Physical Activity – Seniors can get up and active by taking a dog for a walk, and petting or brushing a pet can increase mobility.
- Increase Communication – Talking to animals can be cathartic and relaxing. Seniors who tend to be quiet or solitary can especially benefit from the comfort of pets. Talking to animals can improve verbalization, and even non-verbal seniors can enjoy a pet’s company and silent communication.
- Decrease Stress – Pet therapy can lower stress and anxiety and serve as a healthy distraction for seniors.
- Increase Affection – Pets are loving companions. They provide emotional support, especially to seniors who may feel lonely and isolated from their loved ones. Small interactions have big impacts – feeding or petting an animal can create a special connection.
- Improve Coordination – Petting animals, rewarding them with treats, and interacting with them can help improve motor skills. Additionally, walking a pet works muscles in the torso, arms, and legs to strengthen coordination.
Types of Pet Therapy
If you’re looking to incorporate pet therapy into a senior living home, it’s important to know which kinds of therapy will best support your community. The four types of pet therapy are:
- Ownership Therapy is for patients who own pets and care for them independently.
- Animal-Assisted Therapy helps seniors undergoing extreme treatment. This therapy is conducted formally. Seniors are set up and paired with an animal to improve their non-verbal communication and confidence.
- Animal-Assisted Activities have animals present to provide comfort and company. This is an informal therapy used for activities like walking and shopping.
- Visitation Therapy is the most common kind of pet therapy. Visitation therapy involves handlers visiting a home or healthcare center to comfort seniors and staff.
Pet therapy can provide an enjoyable morale booster for seniors, community staff, and the pets themselves! To book a session for your center, check out which local programs are offered near you.
