The Pet Care Trust - News Releases

On June 20, 1998, the Pet Care Trust funded a conference at Tuffs University, Boston Campus, entitled "Enhancing Human Health and Quality of Life through Companion Animal Interaction". The Conference was organized by Gary Patronek, VMD Ph.D., Director, the Tufts Schools of Veterinary Medicine, Center for Animals and Public Policy. The purpose of the conference was to increase appreciation for the powerful role companion animals can play in enhancing human health and well-being. Speakers from the U.S and Canada discussed the clinical value of companion animal interaction through innovation programs in both community and institutional settings. One conference goal was to facilitate collaboration among caregivers, clinicians, health-care providers, volunteers, administrators and researchers in order to increase understanding and to provide data on the beneficial effects of companion animals in relation to human health.

Conference presentations included: Animal Facilitated therapy in patients with neurological deficits; Use of animals to ease anxiety in children with cancer, AIDS and other chronic diseases at the National Institutes of Health; The Eden Alternative (TM), an alternative to naturalize the nursing home environment; and, community-based volunteer programs to assist pet owners livings with HIV/AIDS. Short articles highlighting each of the major topics presented at the meeting can be found at www.tufts.edu/vet/cfa/index.html

John Pitts, DVM, Program Coordinator, the Pet Care Trust.

The Eden Alternative (TM)

The Eden Alternative (TM) sees nursing homes as habitats for human beings rather than institutions for the frail and elderly. The Eden Alternative (TM) seeks to eliminate the three plagues of the long term care institution - loneliness, helplessness and boredom. One goal is to utilize animal and plants as opportunities for residents to care for living things as part of an enlivened environment. The core of The Eden Alternative (TM)is the commitment to infuse nursing homes with companion animals, indoor plants, gardens and children, while at the same time reorganizing the management of the nursing home around the needs of the residents. The Eden Alternative (TM) was founded by William Thomas, M.D. and his wife Judy Meyers-Thomas, a disabled students advocate and sign language interpreter for deaf students.

Ms. Roxie Hipp, a Certified Eden Associate representing Whispering Pines Nursing home, North Carolina, presented her personal experience with Eden training and through the creation of a "New Human Habitat" for elderly care. The primary tools used to make the chances are plants, children and animal, and, the building of human spirit through a shift in administrative management. All front line staff are empowered to make decisions as they deal with their patients and are organized as staff teams to deal with resident needs. The home utilizes community resources such as plants donated by local businesses and visiting children from local day care, 4-H, Boy & Girl Scouts, summer camp and local schools. All animals receive veterinary checks and psychological screening based on recognized and established criteria. The criteria for various species includes, but is not limited to:

Healthy Dogs, at least 3 years old with even tempers, in a variety of shapes, textures and size (lap and large dogs). Basic obedience training is required, with slow introduction into the nursing home. As a general rule, 1 dog per 20 residents are allowed access to all parts of the home and residents rooms, except the dining room and food preparation areas. Veterinary examination, vaccinations, spay or neuter are required.
One Cat per 10 residents, is allowed to run free and sleep on patients' beds, but not in the food area. Cats are very good for bed ridden patients who like to stroke and groom them. A Multi-cat habitat is provided, allowing cats to "get away" from patients when they need a rest. . Veterinary check, vaccinations, spay or neuter, declaw and cats must be at least 8-10 months of age.
Birds live in every room unless the patient objects. One bird in a room if there is good interaction with a patient and two birds in a room when minimal patient interaction. Parakeets and cockatiels are preferred since they stimulate patient communication. Obtain birds from a single breeder as the facility can be checked for psittacosis, otherwise each bird must have a psittacosis check. A bird care cart visits each room for cleaning and feeding each day.
Ornamental Aquarium Fish in resident rooms or facility meeting rooms.
Other, non-resident, visiting animals include staff pet animals who may come to work with staff members. Staff can also take an animal home for the weekend to give the pet a rest from the constant attention received at the residential home.

Ms. Hipp believes that the animals pay for themselves through savings in a variety of ways. For example, the home needs to provide fewer alternative recreational activities for patients and there is a dramatic decrease in anti-psychotic and anti-depressant drug use since animals have a calming effect. The change to an Eden Alternative has reduced staff turn-over because residents are more pleasant to work with and the staff has been empowered to act and make decisions which increases self esteem. There has also been a decrease in infection rate, skin tares, pressure bed sores and skin ulcers. With the animals, plants and the children visits, the patients are more mobile and tend to be up and around a lot more. The major expense for the animal program is the cost of cat liter and animal feeds. Veterinary medical expenses are minimal and are often donated by local veterinary hospitals. It is impossible to identify the specific positive benefits created by the animals, since children and plants are also an integral part of the program. In some cases, residents prefer plants and have little or no contact with animals. They have a choice, and the right to choose is also healthy.

Examples of resident-companion animal interaction were presented at the conference:

One man would not get out of bed and only wanted to sleep all of the time. He is now up and around, grooming dogs and taking them on walks.
One man who never got out of bed, never turned on lights or opened the window shade, was very depressed and only listened to country and western music. A cat began sleeping on his bed and within a few days he wanted to sit up in bed with the cat. The next step was sitting in a wheel chair which led to his getting up on his own just to be with the cat.
A depressed woman had never owned a bird in her life. The presence of two birds in her room gave her an interest, and she started caring for them, talking with them and her long-standing depression improved greatly.

"Living is now more than just not dying." Initially, physicians were willing to give the program a chance, but all of the MDs had reservations about the benefit of animals and most had concerns about infection and injury. Now, for the most part, the medical community serving residents are very pleased with the positive changes they see in their patients. Some MDs are now recommending animals for certain patients.

The examples given have come from one home for elderly residents. This home converted their facility to an Eden Alternative (TM) "home" after the staff was trained by Eden. The implementation is a process based on the following principals:

Understand the loneliness, helplessness and boredom account for the bulk of suffering in a typical nursing home;
Adopt the Human Habitat model which makes pets, plants and children the axis around which daily life in the nursing home turns;
Provide easy access to companionship by promoting close and continuing contact between elements of the Human Habitat and residents;
Provide daily opportunities to give, as well as receive care, by promoting resident participation in daily activities of the Human Habitat;
Imbue daily life with variety and spontaneity by creating and environment in which unexpected and unpredictable interactions can take place;
De-emphasize the programmed activities approach to life and devotes resources to the maintenance and growth of the Human Habitat;
De-emphasize the role of prescription drugs in the residents' daily life and commit those resources to the maintenance of the Human Habitat;
Seek to place the maximum possible decision-making authority in the hands of those closest to the residents;
Understand that the Human Habitat, once created, should be helped to grow and develop like any other living thing;
Leadership that places the need to improve resident quality of life over and above the inevitable objections to change.

For more information call: Eden Alternative, (607) 674-6723, email: info@edenalt.com web site, www.edenalt.com