Pet Therapy Part IV: More Therapeutic Value
A dog can draw out people who have problems communicating. Dogs communicate on an instinctual, nonverbal level that is easier to relate to by people who have difficulty communicating verbally. It may take days to engage certain patients or residents in conversation. Bringing in a pet therapy dog has been shown to allow uncommunicative residents to engage almost immediately and participate in activities and therapy sooner. Dogs do not place any expectations or demands on the person and are there strictly to provide comfort. Having a dog respond in a positive manner helps people feel better. With the dog present, people want to talk about the animal, beginning a conversation about how they feel and what they think and facilitating engagement in constructive therapy.
Studies have shown that low key tactile stimulation, i.e., stroking something soft like a dog's fur, tends to calm a person, lowering blood pressure and reducing the heart rate. In addition, animals can also be excellent tools to help combat depression, a common phenomenon, especially in the elderly. Reducing loneliness, one of the triggers of depression in long term care residents, is another of the benefits of pet therapy.
Dogs seem to be aware of illness and sadness and appear to want to provide companionship and comfort; they show an abundance of intelligence and are both intuitive and compassionate. I am sure any dog owner can relate to this assumption and agree that it is a warm feeling when their dog can detect their sorrow and lick their tears away. Silence may be broken and loneliness and isolation can be overcome through merely touching and petting a companion animal. These pets offer absolute and unconditional love and a level of boundless patience no human can replicate.
Dogs and cats have a calming and therapeutic effect on people. They can help individuals to cope with the emotional issues related to their illness and offer physical contact with another living creature.