Centre for Policy on Ageing
 

 
Animal assisted activity with older adult retirement facility residents
 — the PAWSitive visits program
Author(s)Sandra Holt, Rebecca A Johnson, Hayley D Yaglom, Casey Brenner
Journal titleActivities, Adaptation and Aging, vol 39, no 4, October-December 2015
PublisherTaylor and Francis, October-December 2015
Pagespp 267-279
Sourcehttp://www.tandfonline.com
KeywordsPet keeping ; Therapy ; Visiting ; Residents [care homes] ; Living with others ; Well being ; United States of America.
AnnotationAnimal assisted activity (AAA) programs offer widespread physiological, social and emotional benefits to recipient populations, particularly older adults. While AAA is common in nursing homes, it is less common in retirement residences where individuals are often suffering from the stress of relocating and transitioning to a more dependent lifestyle. PAWSitive Visits (PV) is a weekly AAA visit programme conducted in a group setting at a Midwestern retirement residence that brings an array of domestic and exotic animal species for the residents to interact with. PV strives to provide educational opportunities for the residents, facilitating their social engagement, eliciting memories of previously owned pets, and offering intergenerational activities. It also provides meaningful learning experiences for students (e.g. nursing and veterinary medical students) who affiliate with the programme. The conceptual model for PV is the threefold notion of attachment, reciprocity, and unconditional acceptance that animals offer older adults. PV is a unique and successful program, coordinated in a manner that ensures the health and safety of both animal and human counterparts, while providing residents with experiences that enhance their well-being. (RH).
Accession NumberCPA-160127220 A
ClassmarkHVT: LO: NP: KX: KA: D:F:5HH: 7T

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