My grandmother is 94 years old and is now living in an assisted living home due to her advancing dementia. The assisted living home that she lives in has a small furry permanent resident in the form of a miniature poodle named Mac. Mac spends his time either on the laps of the residents or sitting calmly next to them. My grandmother absolutely loves to have Mac next to her and both she and Mac benefit greatly from the relationship. The caregivers at the assisted living home have noticed that since Mac came into the lives of the residents they have had increased appetites, increased mobility, less depression, less loneliness and more purpose in their lives as they share in the care of Mac and in turn he provides unconditional love.
More senior care facilities and memory care facilities are welcoming pets as word of these health and well-being benefits start to spread.
““We don’t just let them in,” says Steve Winner, co-founder of Silverado Senior Living with a chuckle, “we require them. Pets are an integral part of what we do.” From the start, Silverado has embraced the power of pets and pet therapy for the elderly to make happier lives for those affected by dementia.”
One of the hopes that we had when we developed Lap Cozy was that it could be used by assisted living facilities around the country to make it easier to bring seniors and pets together. As we age our skin becomes thinner and more prone to tearing and bruising. Placing an animal on someone lap who has sensitive thinner skin can cause lasting damage and pain. The Lap Cozy safely and comfortably covers the sensitive legs of those with thinner skin while still allowing for close contact with a pet that has been found to be so beneficial to seniors.
This is a great article on how pet therapy has changed assisted living. http://www.aplaceformom.com/senior-care-resources/articles/pet-friendly-assisted-living
