"PEOPLE ANIMALS LOVE" PROGRAM
Program Description
"Even with the best doctors and the highest-quality health care, people need something beyond pills and procedures. They need connection and meaning."
peopleanimalslove.org
The "People Animals Love" Program makes visits to seniors in nursing homes. Many of the seniors also have Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. Along with the benefits of being able to give and receive affection from a pet, seniors may also be able to recall fond memories and feelings of a time when they once owned a pet.
Dogs in nursing homes can provide animal assisted therapy, or pet therapy, companionship, the responsibility of taking care of a pet for a short while (supervised by the dog handler,) and a change routine nursing home activities.
Volunteers who would like to help elderly can do so by going through a certification process. Pet handlers and their pets must first go through an orientation and evaluation before they can become certified to visit nursing homes. Dogs must be socialized and up to date on all vaccinations.
In addition to nursing homes the "People Animals Love" Program makes pet therapy visits to mental health facilities, hospitals, libraries and schools. The organization alos runs the
"Pet Loss Comfort Line" Program, a hotline for those who have lost a pet. The Pet Loss Hotline provides help to grieving pet owners by connecting them with a helpful counselor to talk to. Counselors are trained and specialize in grief and loss.
The "Pet Loss Comfort Line" Program can be reached at: 202-966-2171.
source: peopleanimalslove.org
WATCH VIDEO ON HOW "PEOPLE ANIMALS LOVE" PROGRAM WORKS |
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ANIMAL ASSISTED THERAPY IN NURSING HOMES:
Pet Partners Therapy Animal Program - Program widely available across the United States, Canada, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Norway, and several other countries.
Trains pet owners and pets on how to visit nursing homes, hospice, hospitals, physical therapy centers, long-term care facilities and other facilities to provide animal assisted activities.
Therapy Dogs International Nursing Home Program - Across the USA and areas in Canada. Provides free visits of dogs to nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospitals, hospices and other facilities to provide regular animal assisted therapy, an interactive nursing home activity and to give companionship to elderly.
Therapy Dogs Inc. Program - Program available across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Territories. Provides registration, support, and insurance for those involved in volunteer animal assisted activities.
Pets on Wheels Program - Fairfax, Virginia, USA. Providing regular animal assisted therapy through pet and dog visits to nursing homes and assisted living by trained volunteers and approved pets.
FriendshipWorks PetPals Program - Boston Massachusetts, USA. Arranges for pets (cats and dogs) and their owners to make friendly visits providing animal assisted therapy to elderly in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
ASPCA - Animal Assisted Therapy Program - New York, USA. Pet owners can register their dogs and cats for animal assisted therapy and visit elderly in nursing homes, hospitals, classrooms, libraries and other facilities.
New Orleans Visiting Pet Program - New Orleans, USA. Animal assisted activity program where volunteer pet handlers and their pets visit nursing homes, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities and other facilities.
Intermountain Therapy Animals Program - Utah, USA. Animal Assisted Activity/Therapy teams visit seniors in Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Centers, Alzheimer's Care Units, Hospitals, Veterans Hospitals, Hospices, Rehabilitation Centers and many other facilities.
Terminally Ill & Their Pets
Pets and Seniors Companionship
Service Dogs for Elderly
