The Benefits of Therapy Animals for Seniors
Anyone who has ever stroked a dog’s soft ears knows the calming feeling a therapy dog can offer. A therapy dog presents many health benefits to their owners, like lower cholesterol levels and can even prevent heart attack and stroke. They can also help fight depression.
For these reasons, more and more often dogs are being utilized for therapeutic purposes at senior facilities. Therapy dogs are used to promote health and healing for seniors of any age range or health condition, whether they are depressed, chronically ill or have ongoing disabilities.
Pet therapy for seniors, also known as Animal Assisted Therapy, is a technique that uses animals to interact with seniors for numerous reasons to help improve their quality of life. Studies show that just fifteen minutes spent bonding with an animal promotes hormonal changes within the brain. Stress levels drop as the brain produces serotonin (the “feel-good” hormone), along with prolactin and oxytocin. This is why therapy animals are good companions for seniors, because they offer so many amazing health benefits.
Animals used for therapy purposes range from live-in pets that act as emotional support animals to their owners to animals certified by organizations like Therapy Dogs International or Pet Partners and volunteer animals that work with and are trained by hospitals or other organizations..
Physical Benefits of Therapy Dogs
- Lowers blood pressure.
- Improves cardiovascular health.
- Releases calming endorphins (oxytocin).
- Lowers overall physical pain.
- The act of petting produces an automatic relaxation response, which is believed to reduce the amount of medication needed by some people.
- Mental Health Benefits of Emotional Support Animals and Comfort Pets
- Lifts spirits and lessens depression.
- Lowers feelings of isolation and alienation.
- Encourages communication.
- Provides comfort.
- Increases socialization.
- Lessens boredom.
- Reduces anxiety.
- Creates motivation for the client to recover faster.
- Reduces loneliness.
Pet Therapy in Senior Communities
Some assisted living facilities are offering pet therapy because of the numerous benefits interaction with animals offer to seniors. American Senior Communities are among such facilities.
Seniors suffer from depression usually as a result of loneliness or isolation, either because friends and family members cannot visit on a regular basis, or they aren’t as active as they previously were. Perhaps a loving spouse has passed away. Contact with therapy animals can bring some withdrawn seniors out of their shells, making them happier and more communicative.
Studies show that seniors who are active and always around others, or who own a pet decline in health far less rapidly than isolated or depressed seniors.
Important Benefits of Pet Therapy for Seniors
- Seniors with heart conditions who own pets tend to outlive those who don’t.
- Walking a dog provides physical exercise, which leads to improved mobility and a healthier lifestyle overall.
- The ability to have something to pet or touch can result in lower blood pressure, normal heart rate and reduced stress.
- Pets provide emotional stability during stressful situations, helping to reduce anxiety and depression.
- Caring for a pet helps increase a senior’s self-confidence and self-esteem, providing them a way to feel useful and responsible for something.
- For dementia patients, animals can be soothing to those who have difficulty using language.
- Feeding and grooming can help increase seniors’ physical skills and help them become more active.
- Animals can help improve socialization- they listen without judgment and give unbiased affection, especially when a senior may desire to share the thoughts they may not be comfortable telling family or friends.
Having an animal in a senior’s life can help improve their well-being and give new meaning to their life. Due to the numerous health benefits therapy animals provide, many assisted living facilities are starting to include pet therapy in their regular senior care programs. Being around animals makes people feel better, healthier, and happier.
https://www.asccare.com/benefits-therapy-animals-seniors/ ■