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Animals as Caregivers
“It’s funny how dogs and cats know the insides of folks
better than other folks do, isn’t it?” With those words
written in 1912, Pollyanna author Eleanor Porter
foreshadowed what many of our nation’s leading long-term
care facilities have learned only recently, that animals
hold the one of the keys to graceful aging.
Indeed, it wouldn’t be until 79 years later, in 1991,
that Geriatrician Dr. William Thomas would formulate the
Eden Alternative, a long-term nursing care approach
designed with the idea of home sweet home in mind. Dr.
Thomas countered the long-held belief that disease,
disability and decline are the purview of the older
generation, stating instead that the real problems for
our elders are loneliness, helplessness and boredom, all
of which lead to spiritual decay. In New York’s Chase
Memorial Nursing Home where he piloted his program by
introducing “close and continuing contact with plants,
animals and children,” "the mortality rate (decreased)
by more than 15%, medication use … declined
significantly, nurse aide turnover dropped by 26% and
residents' loneliness, helplessness and boredom …
yielded to companionship, self-sufficiency and … a sense
of joy." Say Eden Alternative founders, “We must teach
ourselves to see (long-term care) environments as
habitats for human beings rather than facilities for the
frail and elderly. We must learn what Mother Nature has
to teach us about the creation of vibrant, vigorous
habitats. The Eden Alternative™ shows us how companion
animals, the opportunity to give meaningful care to
other living creatures, and the variety and spontaneity
that mark an enlivened environment can succeed where
pills and therapies fail.”
In addition to the Eden Alternative, there is research
aplenty substantiating the place and importance of
animals in long-term care facilities. Geriatric
researchers from the University of Guelph in Guelph,
Ontario, published a study showing that elderly people
who own pets are more active than those who do not. They
hypothesized that the care-giving aspect of pet
ownership gives owners purpose and responsibility and
makes them more active day-to-day. Additionally, they
said pet ownership helps counter social isolation and
that for those elders who do not have a strong network
of friends and family but who are pet owners, inevitable
life crises are handled more effectively.
There are many ways to enjoy pets in the wide variety of
senior facilities available today. Many permit
individual pet ownership. Some facilities actually have
“house” pets. For those who can’t or choose not to own
their own pet, there are organizations like Therapy Dogs
International and Pets On Wheels who will bring pets in
for visits. Carefully selected animals, accompanied by
their owners, visit a wide range of facilities including
nursing homes and long-term care facilities. The result?
Great happiness, contentment and sometimes even a
rekindling of childhood memories from otherwise reticent
elders. When an animal first appears on the scene at a
long-term care facility, surprise is quickly replaced by
smiles, and the animals respond with great affection and
excitement. Indeed, everyone benefits! Whether it’s pet
therapy or just a friendly visit, sharing animals with
our seniors has proven to be a wonderful mechanism of
healing and hope.
Let’s face it. There’s just something about that furry
paw on your leg or the soulful eyes of a much-loved dog.
A 1999 study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics
Society showed independent seniors with pets tend to
have better physical health and mental wellbeing, are
more active and better handlers of stress. “Exactly
why?” you may ask. Consider the routines of pet
ownership. The little critters are dependent, after all,
and must be fed, groomed and exercised. It is in the
accomplishment of these duties, say experts, that our
elders are kept busy, entertained and fulfilled, their
cardiovascular systems and limbs benefiting in real ways
that may help prolong life, provide purpose and engender
satisfaction. It’s a fact that simply petting animals
can lead to decreased heart rate, temperature and blood
pressure. And take it from a pet lover, talking to those
four-legged creatures is sometimes better than an
involved conversation with your best friend. Animals
listen, provide a warm, furry place to ponder and don’t
talk back. Research has shown that pets counter the
social isolation so many of our seniors suffer by simply
being there for their owners. Daily interaction with
pets can counter depression, and the day-to-day demands
of pet ownership provide purpose and a reason to get up
each day. Finally, pets in their own inimitable way
encourage routine (after all, groceries must be
purchased, litter boxes cleaned and walks taken) and in
this way, elderly owners must adhere to a regular
routine which in turn means predictable meal times and
bed times, essential components of a life well lived.
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