Tag Archives: Older care
Pet therapy brings the joy of animals to care homes
Pets As Therapy is a national charity providing therapeutic animal visits to care homes
Britain is considered a nation of animal lovers, so why should this be any different if we have to move into a care home? A dog’s silly antics and wagging tail or a cat purring on one’s lap can raise a smile, or relax anyone, regardless of age. So some UK care homes now offer residents the opportunity to interact with far more unusual animals than household pets!
Lulu the donkey is one of the more unusual visitors to Sunnymeade Residential Home
Pets As Therapy is a national charity providing therapeutic animal visits to care homes, as well as hospitals and hospices. Volunteers bring in their friendly, temperament tested, vaccinated dogs and cats and visit over 6 million beds a year, showing how much joy the pets bring and how much they are needed and valued in the care home industry.
Pets As Therapy has conducted a number of research studies into the benefits that pets bring to residents in a care home environment. Sarah Dyke’s study, Every Man’s Best Friend: Impact of pet therapy and previous dog ownership on enhancing well-being in elderly residents, followed on from previous research that demonstrated that Pets As Therapy (PAT) dogs can have a positive effect on mood in elderly residents in care homes and day centres.
Sarah wanted to find out if previous dog ownership predicted an increase in wellbeing following PAT dog visits. Her findings suggest that the benefits to the resident from the PAT dog visit are irrespective of previous dog ownership. Sarah believes: “That would explain why Pets As Therapy continues to grow in terms of numbers of volunteers, dogs and establishments involved in this type of therapy and the residents they visit.”
Isolated and lonely older people in Norwich to benefit from charity’s £200,000 lottery windfall
More than £200,000 is to be spent on bringing isolated and lonely older people back into their Norwich communities.
Richard Wheeler Tuesday, July 17, 2012
6.30 AM
Age UK Norwich is searching for 60 new befrienders to keep elderly people active – from a walk in the park to a visit to the pub.
The charity has received £200,000 from the Big Lottery Fund to expand its volunteer project during the next three years to meet an ever-increasing demand.
And now it needs helpers to come forward to put it into action.
The first volunteer event will be held tomorrow at its office in Boardman House, Redwell Street, city centre, from 2pm.
Phil Wells, Age UK Norwich chief executive, said the World Health Organisation regarded loneliness as a “bigger killer than smoking”.
The Government’s Social Care White Paper and White Paper and Draft Care and Support Bill
Part Two: Food for Thought
Having finished my rant about the Government’s lack of backbone to adequately fund social care, here are some of the important points that were raised in the Social Care White Paper and Draft Care and Support Bill.
From 2015 the government will introduce national standards on access to care services. At the moment each council can set its own criteria, creating a so called postal lottery. National standards will help people to understand what they are entitled to.
