Animals effective at engaging residents
Pet bunny and therapy dogs work wonders on residents
Monday March 17, 2008 -- Deron Hamel
Since nearly everyone’s life has been touched by pets in some way, most long-term care homes make an effort to include pet therapy programs for residents.

While some of these programs utilize outside services, such as St. John’s Ambulance’s Therapy Dog Services, other homes go for in-house pet therapy.

Nearly three years ago a pet bunny came to live at Trillium Villa Nursing Home and since then she has been an integral part of the lives of residents at the Sarnia long-term care home.

The rabbit, aptly named Esther due to her arriving at the home during Easter 2005, has had a profound impact on residents, says Lynn Bidner, the home’s manager of life enrichment.

Each morning Esther is taken from her cage and placed in a hutch in an open area of the home along with her food, water and toys. Residents will pass by and spend time with her, petting Esther and talking with her.

Esther, says Bidner, recognizes her regular visitors and comes to the edge of her hutch to meet them. The difference this little white bunny makes in the lives of residents is easy to see, says Bidner.

“Esther has the power to draw residents out of their rooms when nothing else can lure them to common areas, put smiles on faces, decrease anxiety of residents having a bad day, promote active participation in care and nurturing routines, invite interaction with children who visit the home, and so much more,” she says.

In fact, some of the quieter residents who usually prefer to stay in their rooms during programming are often the ones who approach staff members to remind them that Esther needs more food or water, says life enrichment aide Lauren Clark.

The benefits to residents that Esther provides don’t stop there.

“For residents who might be having a down day or who are agitated for some reason, we can use (Esther) to calm them and relax them,” says Clark.

Nicole Harrison, activation aide at Leisureworld Caregiving Centre Orillia, can relate to these experiences. Since the home opened in November 2006, dogs from St. John’s Ambulance’s Therapy Dog Services have come to the home about twice a week.

Harrison says on the days that dogs from St. John’s Ambulance’s Therapy Dog Services are brought to the home, staff members see many of the more withdrawn residents become engaged.

She explains why she feels the program has worked so well.

“For a lot of (residents) it provides an opportunity for them to reminisce about the past,” says Harrison. “I think they also provide a sense of comfort, as well, having that companionship with them and even a sense of nurturing.”

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