Pet Therapy for Children and the Elderly - Essay Example

Pet Therapy for Children and the Elderly Fur-coated animals are frequenting many health facilities to visit friends and even strangers. Such visits are not merely whims of patients or as part of fun or gaming activities. Rather, the animals come to the hospitals to help get sick people well or hasten their recovery. As a matter of fact, there are medical institutions that maintain resident pets such as the Children’s Inn of the National Institutes of Health at Bethesda, Maryland and the Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center. This emerging medical phenomenon is becoming an important part of health care delivery in the form of what is now known as Animal Assisted Therapy or AAT to the point that it is already claiming a field in medical research. Empirical evidences and actual practice support that pets such as dogs have medical benefits. Rovner (2012) pointed out that the use of pets in medical care has been in existence since 150 years ago, citing the case of Florence Nightingale who supposedly recognized the important of animals particularly in providing social support to the sick. She then began outlining the scientific evidences to support this position such as how heart attack patients who live with pets tend to live longer than those who do not. Many empirical studies show that pets lower blood pressure and reduces stress. There is case of a study that specifically found how interaction with animals could increase the patient’s level of hormone oxytocin, the body chemical compound that helps make people feel happy and trusting (Rovner). Pets and Children’s Recovery As previously mentioned, there are numerous children’s clinics and hospitals that maintain a roster of pets that could interact with patients. The strategy works in helping children get well largely because the pet provide the social and emotional support in addition to its strategic utility. For the former, there is the social interaction between child and animal that facilitates feeling of joy and trust that makes hospital stay, hospital treatment and examinations more bearable and more effective. According to Reichert (1998), one could cite the feeling of comfort that animals provide the children (177). The relationship could then be used in various ways. For example, the pet can be used to improve a child’s cooperation especially in extracting information and experiences: The pet dog would want to know how he feels today or what happened earlier. This is supported by Friesen’s work, which demonstrated how children become more confident and self-assured when with a pet so that they are able to express themselves or articulate their thoughts and what they feel better (266). Pets also prove critical in how children recover from traumatic experiences such as sexual assault and violence. The work of Lefkowitz et al., (2005), for example, have established how counselors are able to make significant strides in getting victims to respond and give information about their experience. The degree of comfort and the bond provided to victims by their pets ensure a reduction of anxiety and increase positive feeling, leading to increasingly improved outlook and disposition as days of counseling and treatment pass. There are also many instances when children who are afraid to go to the hospital or set foot in an health care facility could be enticed, cooperate and trust health care professionals once the prospect of meeting a pet animal presents itself. This was what Velde, Cipriani and Fisher (2005) cited as “motivation” that reduces the fear of adults, of the doctor or counselor at the same time raising his or her morale so that treatment and counseling - especially those undertaken in the long-term - are not also traumatic and, hence, unproductive process (49). All in all, the psychological and sociological benefits are pronounced and proven that is why AAT is no longer confined to the case of children. Pets are also being increasingly used to enhance the care and treatment of adults, particularly the elderly. Pet Therapy for the Elderly Animal assisted therapy - just like in the case of treating children - is also used in the case of the elderly for exactly the same reasons. The relationship between social pets such as dogs help old people become comfortable and motivated and it contributes to the general sense of well-being that help them cope and come to terms with their condition. For the elderly, AAT is primarily used as a component of treatment because it allows for the enhancement of quality of life in health care facilities where they would mostly spend their time in their old age either because of sickness or the need for constant nursing care (Martindale 2008). Perhaps a most important therapeutic benefit that pets could provide for old people is companionship as they live out their lives. This is especially the case when they spend it in nursing homes. Being away from their families certainly take its toll on perspective, behavior and function of old people. There are numerous studies that document this. For instance, the study undertaken by Buttner, Fitzsimmons and Barba (2011) revealed that old people tend to become anti-social when transferred to nursing homes. In addition, they are reported to become weary with life, appearing lethargic, withdrawn and lose much of their enthusiasm for life. This may be attributed to the fact that in nursing homes, they are taken care of but the work that they are used to doing are no longer done and merely relegated to attendants. The researchers cite that this lead to lack of independence and a sense of function, leaving them feeling worthless. Pets become critical in these respects. The interaction that they receive from their pets keep the elderly occupied. It may also include physical activities. These enhance many aspects of their daily lives, dramatically contributing to their good well-being and health. There are also specific medical conditions that are directly addressed by the presence of pets. For instance, there is dementia in elderly patients. Experts use animals as an alternative treatment in the sense that they offer opportunities for touch, companionship, warmth and calmness, eliminating negative emotions such loneliness and depression. Buttner, Fitzsimmons and Barba underscored the manner by which pets provide a sense of purpose and meaning to the elderly, allowing for feelings of belongingness and a desire to live out their remaining days. People who have pets should understand why animals are beneficial to patients being treated such as children and the elderly. The reason is that they know for themselves, in addition to the empirical studies, that pets help in dealing with the daily grind. They could provide joy, companionship and unconditional love and trust, social, psychological and emotional gifts that are critical in the desire to get well. Works Cited Buttner, L., Fitzsimmons, S., and Barba, B. “Animal-assisted therapy for clients with dementia.” Journal of Gerontological Nursing, (2011): 37. Print. Friesen, L. "Exploring Animal-Assisted Programs with Children in School and Therapeutic Contexts". Early Childhood Education Journal, 37(4): 261–267. Lefkowitz, C., Paharia, I., Prout, M., Debiak, D., and Bleiberg, J. “Animal assisted prolonged exposure: A treatment for survivors of sexual assault suffering posttraumatic stress disorder.” Society Animals: Journal of Human-Animal Studies, 13(2005): 275-295. Print. Martindale, B., P. “Effect of animal-assisted therapy on engagement of rural nursing home resident.” American Journal of Recreation Therapy, 7(2008): 45-53. Print. Reichert, E. “Individual counseling for sexually abused children: A role for animals and storytelling.” Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 15(1998): 177-185. Print. Rovner, Julie. “Pet Therapy: How animals and humans heal each other.” NPR. Web. Retrieved 22 March 2014 from http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/03/09/146583986/pet-therapy-how-animals-and-humans-heal-each-other. Velde, B., Cipriani, J., and Fisher, G. “Resident and therapist views of animal-assisted therapy: Implications for occupational therapy practice.” 2005. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 52(1): 43-50. Print. Read More