A topic of research that has been gaining traction over the last decade or two is the effects of pet ownership. Some studies have shown that simply owning a pet can help improve a person’s cardiovascular health.
Now, research is being done to see if pets can have a positive effect on elderly persons. Read below to find out more about pet therapy for the elderly.
What is Pet Therapy for the Elderly?
Simply put, pet therapy is a form of mild therapy that uses a pet to form companionship with an elderly person. This is usually used to bolster an already existing therapy routine. It has been shown that pet ownership has many health benefits to people of all ages.
Other than owning a pet, if a therapy routine includes pet therapy, the animal usually is well trained and prepared for working with many people.
Let’s look at some specific effects of pet therapy for the elderly.
Effects of Pet Therapy on Mental Health
Many studies have shown that pets help reduce problematic behaviors in demented individuals. One such study had participants meet with a dog and its trainer for an hour a day. After the intervention, “Subjects achieved…significantly better scores on the CMAI index of behavioral disturbance.” This data compared the person’s scores before and after intervention.
In another study, residents of three different nursing homes had fish tank installed in their recreational room. Another group had a “scenic ocean picture” installed. Researchers noticed that the group that had the fish tanks installed gained weight when compared to the control group, which didn’t gain any weight. This led to the experimental group needing less supplementation due to a healthier diet.
While the previous mentioned studies have been documented in journals, there are lots of anecdotal observations from people who work with the elderly population.
Nurses have noted that these interactions help relieve loneliness and boredom, help with social interaction, and add variety to the lives of their patients.
It’s has also been noted that pet therapy can help reduce anxiety and depression, foster an enhanced sense of self-esteem and help elderly people gain a sense of gentleness and caring.
Effects of Pet Therapy on Physical Health
Owning a pet or having pet therapy is not only mentally healthy but has been shown to have positive physical effects as well.
One study/u> has shown that pet ownership actually helps decrease blood pressure response in times of mental stress. This suggests that owning a pet can help any person deal with their everyday life in a healthier way.
Another study noted that pet owners had a significantly lower systolic blood pressure, meaning that they had lower risk for cardiovascular disease. The researchers also found that the difference is participants cardiovascular health, “was not explicable on the basis of cigarette smoking, diet, body mass index or socioeconomic profile.”
For the most part, many researchers attribute the growth in physical health to caring for the animal. People who own a pet will have to take them for regular exercise, groom them regularly, and make sure their needs are met. This will force elderly people to be more active than if they didn’t have the animal.
Possible Harms of Pet Therapy for The Elderly?
While there are mostly benefits to pet therapy for the elderly, there are also some negatives.
Pet owners have been known to fall or sustain a fracture because of their pet. Many times, this is simply tripping over the animal. The harm can also occur while the owner is bending down to feed or groom the animal.
Depending on the person, elderly persons may not be as capable of caring adequately for a pet. Pets take a lot of time, dedication and money. If the elderly person is not as mobile, they may not be able to take their pet to the vet for proper care. If you are considering pet therapy for a loved one who is less mobile, be prepared to help care for the animal as well.
There have also been cases where institutionalized elderly people have not been able to interact properly with therapy animals. Undesirable behaviors have been documented where harm was done to the animal. In this instance, animal therapy can be attempted, but should always be done under the supervision of the animal’s trainer.
So, Is Pet Therapy for The Elderly a Good Thing?
While there are modest benefits from using animal therapy for the elderly, does it seem to be beneficial overall?
It seems that researchers can detect a direct influence these therapy animals have on research participants. This suggests that the use of pet therapy is of benefit. At the very least, more research can be done to definitively nail down what benefits exist.
Alternately, there is some possible harm that can come to people or the animals that participate in animal therapy. These harms seem modest when compared to the possible benefits.
And there is always a middle ground. Pet ownership might be too much for some patients, however visitation therapy can be a way to experience the benefits of pet therapy without the responsibility of owning a pet.
A topic of research that has been gaining traction over the last decade or two is the effects of pet ownership. Some studies have shown that simply owning a pet can help improve a person’s cardiovascular health.
Now, research is being done to see if pets can have a positive effect on elderly persons. Read below to find out more about pet therapy for the elderly.
What is Pet Therapy for the Elderly?
Simply put, pet therapy is a form of mild therapy that uses a pet to form companionship with an elderly person. This is usually used to bolster an already existing therapy routine. It has been shown that pet ownership has many health benefits to people of all ages.
Other than owning a pet, if a therapy routine includes pet therapy, the animal usually is well trained and prepared for working with many people.
Let’s look at some specific effects of pet therapy for the elderly.
Effects of Pet Therapy on Mental Health
Many studies have shown that pets help reduce problematic behaviors in demented individuals. One such study had participants meet with a dog and its trainer for an hour a day. After the intervention, “Subjects achieved…significantly better scores on the CMAI index of behavioral disturbance.” This data compared the person’s scores before and after intervention.
In another study, residents of three different nursing homes had fish tank installed in their recreational room. Another group had a “scenic ocean picture” installed. Researchers noticed that the group that had the fish tanks installed gained weight when compared to the control group, which didn’t gain any weight. This led to the experimental group needing less supplementation due to a healthier diet.
While the previous mentioned studies have been documented in journals, there are lots of anecdotal observations from people who work with the elderly population.
Nurses have noted that these interactions help relieve loneliness and boredom, help with social interaction, and add variety to the lives of their patients.
It’s has also been noted that pet therapy can help reduce anxiety and depression, foster an enhanced sense of self-esteem and help elderly people gain a sense of gentleness and caring.
Effects of Pet Therapy on Physical Health
Owning a pet or having pet therapy is not only mentally healthy but has been shown to have positive physical effects as well.
One study has shown that pet ownership actually helps decrease blood pressure response in times of mental stress. This suggests that owning a pet can help any person deal with their everyday life in a healthier way.
Another study noted that pet owners had a significantly lower systolic blood pressure, meaning that they had lower risk for cardiovascular disease. The researchers also found that the difference is participants cardiovascular health, “was not explicable on the basis of cigarette smoking, diet, body mass index or socioeconomic profile.”
For the most part, many researchers attribute the growth in physical health to caring for the animal. People who own a pet will have to take them for regular exercise, groom them regularly, and make sure their needs are met. This will force elderly people to be more active than if they didn’t have the animal.
Possible Harms of Pet Therapy for The Elderly?
While there are mostly benefits to pet therapy for the elderly, there are also some negatives.
Pet owners have been known to fall or sustain a fracture because of their pet. Many times, this is simply tripping over the animal. The harm can also occur while the owner is bending down to feed or groom the animal.
Depending on the person, elderly persons may not be as capable of caring adequately for a pet. Pets take a lot of time, dedication and money. If the elderly person is not as mobile, they may not be able to take their pet to the vet for proper care. If you are considering pet therapy for a loved one who is less mobile, be prepared to help care for the animal as well.
There have also been cases where institutionalized elderly people have not been able to interact properly with therapy animals. Undesirable behaviors have been documented where harm was done to the animal. In this instance, animal therapy can be attempted, but should always be done under the supervision of the animal’s trainer.
So, Is Pet Therapy for The Elderly a Good Thing?
While there are modest benefits from using animal therapy for the elderly, does it seem to be beneficial overall?
It seems that researchers can detect a direct influence these therapy animals have on research participants. This suggests that the use of pet therapy is of benefit. At the very least, more research can be done to definitively nail down what benefits exist.
Alternately, there is some possible harm that can come to people or the animals that participate in animal therapy. These harms seem modest when compared to the possible benefits.
And there is always a middle ground. Pet ownership might be too much for some patients, however visitation therapy can be a way to experience the benefits of pet therapy without the responsibility of owning a pet.