If you follow me on Instagram (@confessionsofarectherapist), you would know that the facility where I work has a live in dog. Patches lives in the home on the assisted living floor. That’s right, he’s not an animal that come during the day an leaves with a staff member at night. Patches lives with the residents 24/7. He’s our little super star getting spoiled by staff, family, friends and of course our residents.

Many of you probably are/were surprised to learn that live in dogs within Retirement Homes/Assisted Living/Long Term Care is a thing. It’s not talked about very much and thats because a lot of facilities won’t even consider this. Why? Well, theres a couple reasons.

Reason number one is the work that needs to go into it. It’s a known fact that dogs are a lot of work, puppies even more so. Between training, walking, grooming and just overall care you’re looking at a lot of hours of work.

The second biggest reason is the cost. Compared to fish, hamsters and cats, dogs are a lot more expensive. The average age for a dog is between 10-13 years, and when you add up things like vet bills, food, general items and toys, that number is quite high.

So with these things marked against it, what’s the point in having a live in dog? While there hasn’t been a lot of research on the topic, the research that has been does really supports the use of live in dogs within homes.

Eases the Transition

Moving into a home, whether its retirement, assisted living or long term, is hard for most people. It is a huge step and can lead to a lot of really difficult emotions for individuals who are living the experience. These difficult emotions can range from loss of control, to helplessness, to a loss of purpose.

When you introduce a live in dog, they provide an ease in the transition from one place to the next. Research has shown that about 57% of Canadian Households own pets and that number rising to 67% in the United States. By having a pet in the home, especially an animal such as a dog, it allows residents to keep a sense of normalcy within their daily lives. They can still gain all the positive benefits of owning an animal, while easing some of the stress of needing to do all of the work and dealing with all of the expenses. Dogs can provide a sense of home, something we as recreation therapists strive to achieve.

Provides a Distraction

Finding activities that can really engage residents can be difficult at times, especially for individuals who deal with exit seeking. Having a dog in the facility allows for multiple different engagement opportunities including playfulness, cuddling, exercise and caring for them (brushing, feeding, watering, ect). For many of the residents who owned pets before, these activities are familiar to them and so they aren’t a skill that needs to be learned. These are skills they are confident in doing and it allows for them to deeply engage, shifting the focus from needing to leave.

A dog is a distraction/support for a lot of things though. One of the many benefits is the support the dog can provide to other residents/family/staff who are dealing with death. Whether it’s the death of a friend, a family member or another resident, death is hard. Having a dog that loves to play and/or snuggle can help residents cope with the stress and grief they are feeling.

Helps Encourage Physical Activity

Studies have shown that individuals that live with dogs are twice as likely to reach their fitness goals. While a huge part of this is played out by taking the dog for a walk, fitness can take many different forms. There are many different movements that come with being around a dog, here are just a couple other ones that you may not consider.

• Throwing a ball. Strengthens motor skills, improves hand and wrist mobility, promotes shoulder movement and helps with balance
• Lifting, filling and placing the water/food bowl. Strengthens balance. Promotes the flexor, extensor and oblique muscles. Promotes the use and movement of the spine. Coordination.

When you start thinking about all of the movements that individuals take part in while taking care of a dog, the list is endless for finding possibilities that can help resident meet their goals. Big or small, these movements and actions can allow a resident to work on achieving their fitness goals.

Companionship

Studies have shown that individuals who live alone aren’t the only one that are lonely, that individuals who live in a building full of people also feel loneliness. So how do we conquer this and help prevent this from happening in our homes? Well, having a live in dog is one way.

Having a pet, especially an animal like a dog that is known for being loyal, allows individuals to feel a connection that helps to prevent the feeling of being alone. Beyond this though, the live in dog can also act as a connection for other residents to get to know each other. The dog acts as a form of ice-breaker, starting simple conversations and allowing for residents to find a topic that they can bond over.

Helps to Improve Physical and Mental Health

It is a well known fact that having a dog is beneficial to a persons health, but a lot of people don’t know what the benefits actually are. Well now is your opportunity to learn. According to studies that have been conducted, here are some positive health benefits that have been discovered.

• Lowering Blood Pressure. Multiple studies have been conducted about the benefits of just simply petting a real animal. Anxiety was reduced in the majority of participants, with benefits even being produced for those who said they are not fans of animals and/or dogs.
• Feeling Less Fearful. With dogs being known as protectors, studies have shown that individuals instantly feel safer when they are in the presence of a dog. For individuals moving into a new place, this can be key to helping them feel both safe and comfortable in their new place.
• Improve Mindfulness. Mindfulness is all about people being able to live in the moment. For dogs, living in the present is all they know and this has been shown to rub off on those around them. By walking them, playing with them and caring for them, people have been shown to become more carefree and present. A dog can improve mindfulness? who knew!
• Decrease Depression. Dogs have been proven to be strong motivators for people. Individuals who are dealing with depression often feel isolated, alone and useless. By having a dog in the home, it can be used to help get individuals out of their beds/rooms, participate in activities and feel as though they belong. Allowing them to help with tasks like feeding, waters and walking are extras that can be used to boost this benefit even further.
• Adding to the Support System. A study was done by the University of Manchester that focused on individuals with diagnosed mental health conditions and their support systems. The study found that 60% of participants listed their pet as a key member of their support system. People trust dogs, and by having a dog in their support system it can help with all of the listed above as well as gives them someone to talk to.
• Increase in Oxytocin. Oxytocin is often referred to as the “love drug”, a hormone that plays a key role in social bonding and makes people feel good. Individuals who simply stare into the eyes on their dog show an increase in this hormone, allowing them to feel closer to others and improve happiness.
• Playfulness. Cognitive Functioning and Emotional growth are two of the most important functions to supporting and achieving healthy aging. Being playful has been shown to support both of these, which can be boosted by having a dog in the home. Dogs allow for people to be playful through creativity, imagination and physical exercise.

Dogs are phenomenal animals and as you can see by the points, they bring with them so many positive benefits. If you’re looking to convince your boss on why your homes should get a dog these should be a great start! While they bring with them a little extra work, having a live in dog will surely bring laughter and smiles to all of your residents faces.

Who knows, you may not be able to get a live in dog but maybe you’ll be allowed to introduce animal therapy or bring your own dog with you every once in awhile. It can’t hurt to try, especially with research standing behind you!