Wanna see a magic trick? Well, technically, I can’t show it to you as you’re on the other side of the screen, but if you do your best and try to imagine it, I’m sure it’ll work. Are you ready? 3…2…1… A tiny puppy! Did that make you smile? Giggle? Or maybe you’re cringing at this poor excuse of an introduction.
Whichever it is, we can both agree – dogs make everything better. It is a truth much agreed on, and now, in an Australian-first pilot program, rescued greyhounds will provide support and engagement for people living in aged care homes, including residents living with dementia.
Before we dive into the details, dear reader, I’d like to ask you to leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments section – do you know of any other initiatives like this? Upvote the story and follow the author to keep the wholesome content coming, and without further ado, let’s get to it!
An Australian-first pilot program will bring together rescued greyhounds and residents at HammondCare’s aged care facilities
Image credits: hammond_care
An Australian-first pilot program will bring together rescued greyhounds and elderly residents at HammondCare’s residential aged care facilities.
The initiative will build upon previous animal-engagement programs with seniors which have shown to greatly improve residents’ quality of life by decreasing loneliness and depression and increasing physical activity and socialization.
It will also include people living with dementia, as studies have shown that caring for an animal provides a source of support, stress relief, and purpose.
As explained by Alzheimers.org, visits from an animal can be an energetic experience or an exciting part of a person’s day, with animals being a wonderful source of love and laughter.
The project, called Hounds Helping Humans, aims to decrease residents’ loneliness and depression and to increase their physical activity and quality of life
Wanna see a magic trick? Well, technically, I can’t show it to you as you’re on the other side of the screen, but if you do your best and try to imagine it, I’m sure it’ll work. Are you ready? 3…2…1… A tiny puppy! Did that make you smile? Giggle? Or maybe you’re cringing at this poor excuse of an introduction.
Whichever it is, we can both agree – dogs make everything better. It is a truth much agreed on, and now, in an Australian-first pilot program, rescued greyhounds will provide support and engagement for people living in aged care homes, including residents living with dementia.
Before we dive into the details, dear reader, I’d like to ask you to leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments section – do you know of any other initiatives like this? Upvote the story and follow the author to keep the wholesome content coming, and without further ado, let’s get to it!
An Australian-first pilot program will bring together rescued greyhounds and residents at HammondCare’s aged care facilities
Image credits: hammond_care
An Australian-first pilot program will bring together rescued greyhounds and elderly residents at HammondCare’s residential aged care facilities.
The initiative will build upon previous animal-engagement programs with seniors which have shown to greatly improve residents’ quality of life by decreasing loneliness and depression and increasing physical activity and socialization.
It will also include people living with dementia, as studies have shown that caring for an animal provides a source of support, stress relief, and purpose.
As explained by Alzheimers.org, visits from an animal can be an energetic experience or an exciting part of a person’s day, with animals being a wonderful source of love and laughter.
The project, called Hounds Helping Humans, aims to decrease residents’ loneliness and depression and to increase their physical activity and quality of life
Image credits: hammond_care
The project will be called Hounds Helping Humans, and the greyhounds will be carefully chosen for the resident visits. The dogs will come from Greyhound Rescue, a multi-award-winning charity and the largest independent greyhound rehabilitation and rehoming organization in Australia.
The pups will receive training to prepare them for the sounds, sights, activities and equipment (such as wheelchairs and trolleys) they will encounter in an aged care environment. The training will also encompass communication techniques to encourage meaningful connection between the greyhounds and the residents.
At the moment, there are 13 hound and handler volunteer teams who are visiting three different care homes, with most homes getting a couple of visits per week.
Visits from an animal can be an energetic experience or an exciting part of a person’s day, with animals being a wonderful source of love and laughter
Image credits: greyhoundrescue
The Hounds Helping Humans is only one of many projects that sit under the broader initiative, called the Life Engagement Project. Its main aim is to provide more opportunities for residents to pursue interests and hobbies in various areas, such as the visual arts, music, sports and animal interaction.
Greyhound Rescue volunteers have taken some greyhounds to mental health and aged care facilities previously. Shelley Tinworth, who is visiting care homes with her hound Jessi, stated: “Many older folks tell us about their animals growing up, and it got me to thinking how hard it must be for those in supported care not to have that connection any longer. When this program was announced, I thought Jessi would be perfect as she has so much love to give, and is always happy to receive that back in return.”
Horsley resident Thelma Connaughton, 83, spoke affectionately about greyhound LB, short for Long Black, after spending some time with her at the launch of the Hounds Helping Humans program. “She is just so lovely, so beautiful – absolutely beautiful!”
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