Pet Therapy for Seniors

Pet Therapy: How to get Back One’s Spirit even at Old Age

A pet in the house can enliven the atmosphere, soothe nerves, and allow the owner to remain engaged for quite some time in their life.

Overview of Pet Therapy

Elderly people often lack cognitive functioning. They can be lonesome and become depressed. Some get emotional as well. These behavioural changes can be checked by introducing a pet in the patient’s life. The animal-assisted therapy involves ways in which the pet permeates into the life of the individual.

Advantages of Pet Therapy

Not only dogs, but also other domesticated pets and farm animals are used for suitable animal therapy for the aged. The pets are kept at retired homes, hospitals and rehabilitation centres, community care, and so on. The therapy is used to:

… In short, pet therapy is used to bring happiness, mobility, and motivation in the aged, who are rehabilitating from old-age problems.

How are Pets Trained for Therapy?

First, the pet must be trained to obey basic obedience commands. It must be social and not go disarray in a crowd or when there is commotion. After these basic trainings, the pet is trained to respond properly by a trainer on certain real-life situations. These include how to be useful to owners on wheelchairs, crutches, mobility aids, etc. It must also know tricks to motivate the owner.

If you still have questions on pet therapy or want a trained pet, write to our pet counsellor for details.