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May 20, 2020Pet therapy is a type of therapy that uses trained pets to interact with seniors to improve their health and well-being. Animal-loving seniors can benefit from having a pet or receiving pet therapy emotionally, physically, and mentally.
The Emotional Benefits of Pet Therapy for Seniors
- Therapy pets can provide seniors with love, companionship, and other emotional benefits that include:
- Reduced feelings of loneliness and depression
- Lowered level of stress
- Help to reduce anxiety
- Increased self-esteem and sense of worth
The Physical Benefits of Pet Therapy for Seniors
Animal therapy can also help improve seniors’ physical health depending on which type of therapy is practiced and include the following:
- Increased levels of exercise
- More mobility
- Lowered blood pressure
The Mental Benefits of Pet Therapy for Seniors
- Pet therapy provides several physical health benefits to seniors like:
- Improve mental stimulation
- Strengthened ability to plan for pet’s care
- Memory stimulation
Types of Pet Therapy:
- Ownership Therapy: This type of therapy is where the senior owns the pet.
- Visitation Therapy: This is the most familiar type of therapy that involves animals visiting the seniors.
- Animal-Assisted Therapy: This is an intensive type of therapy where patients in need of extreme rehabilitation.