Pet Therapy

The Therapeutic Power Of Pets
At Encore, our residents enjoy numerous health benefits that come from our innovative pet therapies. Residents are delighted by a variety of pets, ranging from show animals to fair animals, and even horses!

PETS: THE BEST THERAPY LIFE HAS TO OFFER

The best medicine for some medical or mental health issues isn’t just medicine at all … it’s pet therapy (also known as animal-assisted therapy) in the form of a wet nose or a fun trick to brighten a resident’s day.

 

To reap the many benefits of animal therapy, we’ve developed an on-going partnership with the 4-H Club. Students bring their beloved show animals to Encore for showmanship training before fairs or competitions. Residents are both impressed and delighted by the animals as they prance around showing off their skills.

Studies show that simply the nature of some animals make them instinctive healers for humans, providing unconditional love, emotional presence, and true companionship.

 

We’ve also seen first-hand the positive impact the human-animal bond has had on our residents. Pet therapy has been known to boost well-being and help improve health issues including high blood pressure and anxiety.

 

The benefits of pet therapy for seniors are abundant and may include:

  • Lowering blood pressure
  • Releasing endorphins that have a calming effect
  • Reducing anxiety and loneliness
  • Diminishing overall physical pain
  • Stimulating memory
  • Increasing socialization and sense of community

  • Improving verbal communication
  • Motivating physical activity
  • Boosting self-esteem
  • Reducing boredom and loneliness
  • Improving assisted or independent movement