Virtual program connects seniors with pets

• A program called Senior Pet Connect helps seniors maintain their mental and physical wellbeing.
• Besides providing socialization to seniors, the program encourages fostering and adoption of animals.
• A team is engaged to monitor the effectiveness of the project.

People always find ways to cope with the repercussions of the pandemic. And in some beautiful ways, loving pets are involved.

With home quarantines and work-from-home guidelines, people are stuck in their homes, causing psychological effects to some — especially to seniors who usually face isolation for safety reasons.

This situation has led two organizations in Washington to roll out a virtual pilot program in March. The Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA), an animal welfare organization, and the DC Department of Aging and Community Living (DACL) developed Senior Pet Connect to help seniors deal with loneliness.

(1/2) DACL is excited to partner with the @HumaneRescue Alliance to make connections with seniors & their pets in foster care. The goal will be to support our efforts in combatting isolation by enabling homebound seniors to interact with pets, whether virtually or in-person. 🐶🐱 pic.twitter.com/VwAbOw3C5y— Department of Aging & Community Living (@DACL_DC) March 5, 2021

The intent of the partnership “is to combat senior isolation and to preserve families by ensuring we are meeting the evolving needs of DC’s senior pet guardians and animal lovers,” Dani Rizzo, digital director at HRA, told Daily Paws.

Dani added that seniors with pets are 36 percent less likely to report loneliness, compared to non-pet owners.

Laura Newland, DACL’s director, added, “Studies have shown that spending just 15 minutes with a pet can have positive emotional benefits and reduce feelings of loneliness.”

A central feature of the program is the once-in-a-while one-on-one virtual interactions between seniors and pet foster parents. Laura said that once it is safe, in-person meet-ups “in a safe, socially-distant manner” could be made possible.

Ultimately, the program aims to improve the socialization of seniors amid home quarantine arrangements, to mend overall mental and physical wellbeing, and eventually, encourage more animal care, fostering, and adoptions.

(2/2) If you or a senior you know is interested in participating, please email us at [email protected]. ????

The @Washingtonian covered today's fun-filled virtual session! Check out the article here: https://t.co/Ocp4YNrszh pic.twitter.com/Gu2AKUvqEw— Department of Aging & Community Living (@DCAgingNews) March 5, 2021

Consequently, the initial rollout of Senior Pet Connect has inspired seniors to adopt and foster animals.

“Fostering is the future of our work and we are looking at how to continue to grow our foster program so animals don’t have to be in institutional housing,” Dani said. “And we know there are seniors in our community who can and want to help and have the capacity to foster or adopt. It’s up to us to engage new foster caregivers, including seniors, and bring them along in this important work.”

A team of community outreach specialists is deployed to be in contact with the senior participants as a way to measure the effectiveness of the program.

“We’ll engage with them on a monthly basis to learn more about their stories, the relationships they’re building, and the positive impact these connections are having on them,” Laura said.

Source: Daily Paws