{"id":776,"date":"2016-10-10T01:18:47","date_gmt":"2016-10-10T05:18:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/activeseniorsdigest.ca\/wp_activeseniorsdigest\/?p=776"},"modified":"2016-10-10T01:18:47","modified_gmt":"2016-10-10T05:18:47","slug":"pets-bring-out-positive-changes-in-seniors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/activeseniorsdigest.ca\/wp_activeseniorsdigest\/?p=776","title":{"rendered":"Pets bring out positive changes in seniors"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"A<\/a>
A 2005 Italian study has shown that seniors who looked after a pet displayed higher levels of happiness than those who did not. Judy Suave of Therapeutic Paws of Canada says that seniors can get a lot of pleasure and joy out of pet therapy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The old saying goes that a dog is man\u2019s best friend. And that remains true, right into your golden years.<\/p>\n

Many seniors\u2019 residences are now offering pet therapy options, which see a trained dog\u00a0 — or cat, don\u2019t worry cat lovers \u2013 come in and visit residents.<\/p>\n

And according to one pet therapy organizer, the change in those residences is night and day.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe visit of a pet has a remarkable change. The emotions, the energy that is in the ward or the floor that the pet has just visited is very, very noticeable,\u201d Judy Sauve of Therapeutic Paws of Canada tells Active Senior\u2019s Digest. \u201cIt\u2019s so rewarding for the senior, many of them having to give up their pet. They appreciate the opportunity to cuddle, touch the fur, to go back into that stage of their life where they were the nurturer and offering treats to the dog, having them sit and lay down. It seems to be a great source of joy for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Therapeutic Paws of Canada is a volunteer-based pet therapy program based out of Hawkesbury that has team leaders across the country offering programs and visits in seniors\u2019 residences, as well as schools and hospitals.<\/p>\n

Pet therapy has been shown in the past to provide favourable results for seniors. A 2005 study published in the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics details an experiment that took place in Italy with seniors, with some being given a pet canary, others a plant and others nothing, with a mental state examination being given before and after the testing period. The tests concluded that those with the canary were happier and had a positive effect on the senior\u2019s psychological well-being.<\/p>\n

Sauve says she has seen this happiness and positivity not only in the seniors, but also with the volunteers and the pets themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know who wins on this visit \u2013 the seniors, the pet or the volunteer. It\u2019s a win-win situation for everyone,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Sauve says that bringing in the pets also allows an opportunity for seniors to talk more with other people.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact that there\u2019s a cat or a dog in the room allows us the opportunity to open up a conversation with the patient,\u201d Sauve says, adding it often starts with asking if the senior was a pet owner in the past. \u201cSometimes you\u2019ll get a very lengthy answer, and other times you\u2019ll just get a nod of the head. It just all depends. Doctors and nurses will tell us, \u2018I knew the pets were in this morning.\u2019 You can just tell. The emotional state is better, they\u2019re more animated, just a little spark in their eyes. It makes a big difference.<\/p>\n

For those looking to help out, Sauve says the best volunteers are often other seniors.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey make the best volunteers, by the way,\u201d Sauve says. \u201cThey relate to the people that they\u2019re visiting in the nursing home. We\u2019re not that far away from them in age, but luckily we still have good health and are active. We know another 15, 20 years, it could be us in that nursing home. And it\u2019s great exercise for them. Once they retire from their job, it gives them a purpose. They get up, take this beautiful little dog that means the world to them and share their dog with the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more information, and for those looking to volunteer and connect with a team leader in your area, please visit tpoc.ca.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The old saying goes that a dog is man\u2019s best friend. And that remains true, right into your golden years. Many seniors\u2019 residences are now […] Read More<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":777,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nPets bring out positive changes in seniors - Active Senior's Digest<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/activeseniorsdigest.ca\/wp_activeseniorsdigest\/?p=776\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Pets bring out positive changes in seniors - Active Senior's Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The old saying goes that a dog is man\u2019s best friend. 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