A Walk on the Wild Side at Lark View Care Home

Animal-assisted therapy has a whole host of benefits in terms of physical and mental health and we were delighted to welcome the ZooLab team and their animal friends.

Animal therapy, sometimes called pet therapy refers to working therapeutically with animals to help people by:

• reducing boredom and stress
• increasing residents opportunities to mobilise
• providing companionship
• increasing social interaction

Animal therapy is a type of complementary therapy that works alongside other therapies to increase wellbeing by allowing residents to interact with a friendly animal. Typically spending time with animals is not only calming but a fun way to join in with new activities.

How Does Animal Therapy Work?

Animal Therapists and their animals are trained and usually work in setting such as retirement living complexes, community care settings, residential care and nursing homes, hospices and rehabilitation centres. Although we most often think of pets such as dogs, cats, or rabbits as being used for therapeutic purposes a wide range of animals can be used—including the more exotic species that Zoolab brought in to Lark View Care Home this month.

Animal-related activities encourage our residents to try something new, and have some unexpected conversations with other people. This social interaction helps build our community and helps people get to know one another better. Research suggests that animals visiting care homes and spending time with animals can improve resident’s overall health.

Benefits of Animal Therapy in Care Homes

Care home residents who are have the opportunity to spend time with therapy animals benefit in a huge variety of ways:

• Reduces Feelings of Isolation

People who feel lonely or isolated often experience low mood or depression. Interacting with therapy animals has hugely positive effects on many people because it brings them together with other residents and staff in addition to providing the mood-boosting effect of touching and interacting with animals.

• Improve Wellbeing and Mental Health 

The positive interactions with animals reduce stress levels and encourages a more balanced mental and emotional state. Residents who are no longer able to communicate verbally are able to enjoy animal therapy as they can still communicate through touch and facial expressions. Interacting with an animal naturally provides a calm and relaxing atmosphere.

Lark View's Visit From ZooLab

ZooLab brought some more out-of-the-ordinary animals for our residents to get to know this month as you can see from our wonderful pictures! We met Bearded Dragons, exotic stick insects and although some of us were a little hesitant to hold them initially, with the help of our fabulous ZooLab Ranger we were soon enjoying their company.

We regularly seek ideas from our residents about activities they'd enjoy and guests they'd like to have at Lark View Care Home. Daily life at Lark View is varied, activities are personalised, which allows each person to lead the life they choose. From participating in our accessible activities programme to attending trips to the local community, we are commited to providing activities and opportunities that allow residents to have fun, socialise and be as independent as possible.

If you are looking for a care home for a loved one, or would like to discuss the benefits of pet therapy further, do not hesitate to get in touch with our wonderful team to discuss the available care options available here at Lark View Care Home.