Pets aren’t just for Christmas. They become a certified family member and companion. It’s why there are many pet therapy services that can aid those requiring in-home care. Our home care company are always looking for unique and creative ways to improve a patient’s quality of life. Let’s have a look at the benefits of pet therapy for those needing in-home care and how our home care company can help. 

 

But, first…

What is Pet Therapy?

In in-home care, there are many different types of pet therapy that are tailored to the patient’s needs. Pet therapy involves helping with physical or mental conditions by providing interactions between the patient and trained animals. This could simply have a dog or other animal in the home that the person can interact with or specifically trained animals to help with symptoms of depression and dementia for example.

 

Certain dog breeds have been trained to support people with vision or hearing impairments for more specialised therapy. An example of this would be that some dogs have been trained to detect changes in a diabetic’s blood sugar levels or to identify signs of the beginning of a panic attack. 

 

Whatever the case, pet therapy has helped various patients that require a home care company and has been utilised frequently. So, what are the benefits?

Boost Activity Levels

Having pets around can really help those who wouldn’t normally exercise much. This can include letting the patient pet the animal, walk about with them, and assist with feeding and grooming them All of these simple exercises help lessen swelling, enhance blood flow, and boost strength.

 

A home care company can utilise pet therapy to help increase a patient’s social and physical activity. The animals may encourage them to leave the house more often, as they are not doing it for their own benefit, but to look after the animal. Taking them on walks can help movement and improve their health with the fresh air. 

Helps Mental Wellbeing 

But, it’s not just the physical. In a previous blog, our home care company talked about the importance of mental health support for in-home care. In Northern Ireland, 1 in 5 people will experience some sort of mental health disorder. And this is increased for those who live on their own or suffer from a terminal illness. This can include feelings of loneliness, anxiety and severe depression.

 

The calming nature of pets, such as dogs and cats, is said to help increase levels of Oxytocin, which is the stress-reducing hormone. Pet therapy has the opportunity of aiding with these mental health problems and helps improve overall mood and well-being. Therapy animals offer relaxation and entertainment that can help a patient take their mind off of more depressing matters. Instead, it can help boost their self-confidence and give them a well-deserved break.   

Pet Therapy for Dementia Home Care

Pet therapy can benefit people with dementia and Alzheimer’s by helping them regain good memories of their former pets as well as by helping them unlock their memories. Although looking after a pet full-time may cause issues, a home care company can help set up services so that a therapy animal comes in once a week. It can become part of the routine and help with any memory loss symptoms. 

Elderly and Pet Companions 

In some cases, having a pet full-time will actually help those requiring in-home care, especially the elderly. Certain small dog breeds, such as Cavalier Spaniels and Yorkshire Terriers mean that owners can increase their physical activities without overworking themselves and due to the undemanding nature of these dogs, can look after both the dog and themselves. 

 

Our home care company makes sure to work closely with each of our patients. It can be hard losing certain levels of independence, especially with in-home personal care. So, looking after a dog can help a patient still feel like themselves and that they haven’t lost all ability. Find out more about our services here.   

Complete Homecare 24

At Complete Homecare, we are a home care company based in Lurgan, Northern Ireland. Our in-home carers offer tailored care plans for our patients around Northern Ireland and will meet your individual requirements. For information on our in-home care services, call us on 07955 460 847. Or, follow us on Instagram and see what we do directly to your feed.

 

Interested in becoming an in-home carer? We are always looking for like-minded people to join our caring team to provide tailored personal care plans and cater to each patient. Fill in our form here.