The guidelines and policies that influence the conduct of Animal-Assisted Activities in Residential Aged-Care Facilities: A systematic integrative review

Pilot of an animal-assisted activity program to support intergenerational and intercultural community connections to reduce loneliness and social isolation

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged social support systems leading to loneliness and social isolation, particularly for older adults and international university students. This study explored the potential of using a shared interest in pets to support intergenerational and intercultural social connections, with a hypothesis that such interactions could enhance health-related quality of life and wellbeing and reduce feelings of loneliness.

METHODS

The study adopted an action research approach to co-design and pilot an Animal-Assisted Activity (AAA) group intervention (called the 'Pets and People program') across two aged care facilities in Melbourne, Australia. The 18-week program was designed to facilitate social connections through the presence of live or robotic pets, and/or animal-assisted activities. The program was evaluated using mixed methods.

RESULTS

Thirty older adults and 11 international students participated in the program. Six older adults, 10 international university students and three senior management staff participated in the evaluation. Both the older adult and student groups experienced a significant decrease in feelings of loneliness and a significant and clinically meaningful increase in the EQ-5D-5L utility index after program completion. The cost of implementation was $237 per person who participated in 10 weeks or more of the 18-week program. The explorative cost-utility analysis indicated a cost of $4,017 per quality adjusted life year gained, which is well below the threshold for the Australian Government's health related expenditure.

CONCLUSIONS

The Pets and People program holds potential to be replicated and scaled in aged care settings both in Australia and internationally.

Both Ends of the Leash: Animals in Australian Residential Aged Care Facilities, Views of Experienced Animal Trainers/handlers Working in Residential Aged Care Facilities

Research on animals in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) mainly focuses on the residents with little apparent concern for animal welfare. In the context of documented human welfare breaches in the sector the question arises - how do Australian RACF approach animal welfare. To understand animals' lived experiences in this context experienced dog-trainers with RACF employment history were interviewed. These experts were recruited using snowball sampling, with nine participating in semi-structured interviews about their experience of visiting and live-in animals in Australian RACFs. While initial inductive coding produced six themes (residents, animals, handlers, staff, facility and policy) pervasive animal welfare issues were noted. The outcomes of a subsequent, deductive, recoding using a welfare framework are reported here. Overall, with a focus on residents, and in a context of inadequate staffing, training and oversight, the interviews demonstrate systemic potential for compromised animal welfare with examples of dogs being frightened and one accidentally poisoned. These examples and the need to develop legislation and guidelines to guide safe, ethical, animal contact in RACFs are discussed.

'My pet can't come with me': Pets as a barrier against moving into supported accommodation

OBJECTIVE

To determine the impact of pet ownership on older people's decision to move to supported accommodation.

METHODS

Online survey.

RESULTS

Older Australians who were current or past pet owners were invited to complete an online survey, with 193 participants providing valid data. Almost two-thirds of the respondents who said they did not intend to move in the foreseeable future (n = 85) said their pet was an important reason. When asked to rate which factors would be hardest to come to terms with if they had to move because they needed more assistance in future, three groups emerged: the first group (37%) thought the impact on their pet of moving would not be difficult and the pet was not an important reason for staying in their current home. The second group (36%) were the opposite; they believed there would be a negative impact on their pet if they moved and the pet was an important reason for them to stay. The final group (27%) thought their pet was not an important reason to stay in their current location but if they did have to move, the impact on the pet would be quite difficult. No one fell into the category of identifying that their pet was an important reason to stay but having to move would have no impact on the animal.

CONCLUSIONS

Many older people think about their pets when making a decision to move house, including considering whether a move to supported accommodation will be difficult for their pet. A perceived absence of pet-friendly supported accommodation may be contributing to sub-optimal decision-making by older people.

A Qualitative Analysis of Management Perspectives on Seeking to Implement the Foster Cat Project in Residential Aged Care in the Context of COVID-19

This study explores the challenges facing a pilot project aiming to foster homeless cats in an Australian residential aged care facility. The global COVID-19 pandemic stalled the project but also presented an opportunity to gain reflective insights into the perceived barriers, enablers and tensions involved in seeking to implement pet animal inclusion in residential aged care. Perspectives from aged care management, animal welfare services and researchers/project managers were all sought using semi-structured interviews, and themes developed using a qualitative descriptive analysis. Perceived barriers to the project before and after the pandemic were not dissimilar with four key themes emerging: competing priorities, risk and safety, resources, and timing. All existed differently across stakeholder groups creating tensions to be negotiated. These themes are then mapped to the competencies established by the International Union of Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) for undertaking health promotion, demonstrating that this skill base can be drawn on when seeking to implement human-animal inclusive projects. Creating supportive healthful environments for frail older persons is a moral imperative of extended lives. Health Promotion skills as outlined in the Ottawa Charter and IUHPE competencies for health promotion workers need to be extended to include animal services, agendas and cultures to promote multi-species health promotion into the future.

Fur, Fin, and Feather: Management of Animal Interactions in Australian Residential Aged Care Facilities

Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) have been occurring in Australian Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF) for more than 40 years and may relieve loneliness and improve quality of life. The presence of animals in RACF poses an inherent risk to residents and the animals involved. Little is known about the policies and guidelines for including animals in the Australian RACF. We anticipated that most RACFs would have some policies, but they may lack the detail necessary to keep humans and animals safe. Using an adapted survey, we surveyed and interviewed a small but representative sample of Australian RACF managers. The results demonstrated that RACF did have animal policies; however, the content regarding the need for hand washing, infection prevention, and animal welfare was lacking. Including unregulated family pets in RACF was an unexpected additional risk factor identified during data analysis. There is a need for national guidelines tied to the national aged care policy, which includes training and educational resources for RACF and AAI providers.