Pet therapy brightens lives

Pet owners can attest to the mood boost and stress-relief benefits of having a four-legged companion – we just can’t help but smile when a dog cuddles up to us or a cat crawls into our lap. 

Animal therapy is a way for non-pet owners in lonely, stressful or traumatic situations to share in these proven health benefits.  Therapy animals such as dogs, cats, birds, fish and even robotic animals are used to soothe veterans and people with disorders or disabilities in retirement and nursing homes, hospitals, schools, airports, hospices and disaster areas.  Some people even have therapy pets specifically for the health benefit that animal companionship provides.

Common benefits of pet therapy include lowered blood pressure, stress relief, mood elevation, pain management and emotional support. These animals have been shown to  improve social, emotional and mental functioning in long-term care settings and hospitals, as well as helping students relax and de-stress at schools and colleges. Some organizations work locally and nationally to send therapy animals to disaster areas.  Often, therapeutic animals help people recover from physical ailments and emotional trauma.

Therapy pets are different from service animals. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, in the United States, a service animal is, “Any dog that is trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of the individual with a disability.”  These tasks can include pulling a wheelchair or reminding a person to take medication, for example. 

Therapy pets can be live-in animals that provide emotional support to their owners or animals that are certified by organizations such as Therapy Dogs International and Delta Partners that are handled by their owners and visit those in need.

Many assisted living residences and nursing homes have multisensory programming involving animals to benefit those with dementia. At The Phyllis Siperstein Tamarisk Assisted Living Residence, in Warwick, our Bird Tales Program encourages residents to watch and identify birds in our backyard bird sanctuary. Residents’ family pets are also welcome to visit, often brightening the lives of lonely individuals.

Indeed, employing the therapeutic power of animals and nature is a best practice in any setting!

ROBERTA RAGGE, MS, ALA, is executive director of The Phyllis Siperstein Tamarisk Assisted Living Residence, in Warwick.