Culture Change Througout Aging Services

(Source:  www.telegraph.co.uk)

Nigel Waterson, the shadow minister for older people, said his Care Homes and Sheltered Accommodation (Domestic Pets) Bill would ensure many elderly people would be able to keep their beloved animals when they have to leave their own properties. He told MPs some 38,000 pets were put down every year because their owners had been admitted into care in accommodation where animals were banned.

Mr Waterson, who represents Eastbourne, Willingdon and East Dean, said having a pet could improve the mental and physical health of the owner. His Bill would help stop the ''needless trauma'' of separating a pet owner from their companion by making it a presumption that homes ''will not refuse permission'' to accept pets.

He said: ''It is a staggering and very depressing fact that something like 38,000 healthy animals are put down every year simply because their owners are going into a care home or sheltered housing project and the rules do not allow them to take their pets with them.

''That's bad enough but it is also estimated that a further 100,000 pets have to be given up for adoption for the same reason and many of them become so distressed because of the feeling of being abandoned by their owners that they eventually have to be put down as well.

''I think this is totally unacceptable in a civilised country.'' He added: ''I'm not arguing for a blanket policy saying that every pet, from a python to a budgerigar, has to be admitted to a care home or sheltered housing. ''I'm simply arguing for a basic legal presumption that pets should be permitted subject to appropriate discussion about all the eventualities that can arise and provided they do not cause a nuisance to other residents.''  More

(Source: By Ryan Wentworth, http://EzineArticles.com)

Pets provide their owners with love, friendship, and affection. Recent research has shown, though, that pets do much more. Owning a pet can significantly improve your physical and mental health.

1. Companionship:  Loneliness is a major issue for elderly people, especially for people who are socially isolated. Owning a dog, cat, or other animal can reduce loneliness among people who might otherwise feel alone.

2. Exercise:  Pets need to be walked or played with often, and this can increase the amount of daily exercise elderly pet owners receive. Studies have shown that older people with pets had much higher levels of physical activity than non-pet owners.

3. Social Interaction:  Animals are natural people magnets, and having a dog or cat can increase social opportunities for older people. People love to talk about their pets, which often leads to new friendships.

(Source: Silver Innings)

It’s rightly said ‘Young people are god's creation; Old people are work of experience’.  George Bernard Shaw said “Youth is a wonderful thing,”

We believe 'The youth caters for revolutions, The elderly for evolution’.

At Silver Inning Foundation we strongly believe that ‘Youth and Elderly should work together for a Strong Tomorrow’ that’s the reason we have started this community/forum Youth for Senior Citizens (YS) , that aims in Bridging the gap between youth & elderly.  MORE

(Source: www.allassistedlivinghomes.com)

There have been a number of studies that highlight the benefits of seniors interacting with and owning pets, and one of the great initiatives that various cities are implementing is a seniors for seniors pet program. While the ages vary, seniors for seniors pet programs typically look to match senior citizens (starting at age 59-62), with senior pets (starting at age 5-7). Seniors are able to easily get connected with an older pet because the city typically gives discounts on all senior pet adoption fees, which helps speed up the process so that seniors can take the pet home to enrich there lives. When a senior cares for a pet, they become more active in their daily life, as they have a greater sense of purpose and responsibility that keeps them motivated. Each day they look forward to bonding with their pet, taking care of them, as well as taking better care of themselves.

Seniors who own pets often have lower blood pressure than those who do not own pets, and are also less depressed in general. Additionally a study of Medicare patients showed that seniors who own dogs have fewer trips to the doctor than those who do not own a dog. Another great benefit of seniors owning a pet is that they have an added sense of comfort and security, because they have a trusted friend by their side. Overall pet ownership is a great thing for seniors, and hopefully more cities will implement seniors for seniors pet programs, so that older pets and senior citizens can both benefit from each other.  LINK

(Source: by brittnichols, Linked In)

On Tuesday afternoons in Portland, Oregon, residents at one senior living community are proudly reveling in the fruits (and vegetables!) of their labor at the residents’ weekly Farmer’s Market.  Rose Villa is a not-for-profit, active retirement community located on the banks of the Willamette River, offering cottage homes and a continuum of care from independent living to assisted living.  Unlike other area CCRCs that are located in high-rise towers, Rose Villa is comprised of single-story apartments, spread out over 22 acres.

The Farmer’s Market is a weekly affair for the resident gardeners of Rose Villa.  However, in this community, the garden was not conceived by the Rose Villa administration as something to keep the residents occupied; quite the contrary.  David Mayer, Public Relations Manager, explains, “The community garden is, and has always been, a resident-directed feature.”  Shortly after its opening some 50 years ago, the residents approached Rose Villa staff with an idea.  Just across the road from the main property where all the apartments were located sat two acres of vacant land, also owned by Rose Villa, which they wanted to develop into their own garden for growing fresh fruits and vegetables.

At that time, the administration told the residents that they were welcome to use the property for gardening.  However, the Rose Villa Staff would be unable to offer any ‘official’ support for the project.  The residents were enthusiastic and went right to work.  Today it is evident that the resident-operated community garden has grown, and thrived, with very little assistance or intervention from the staff.  All plot organization, maintenance, and management is overseen by a resident garden committee.  Adds Mayer, “Our job as staff is to just help when they ask for it, and then stay out of their way!”

Whatever the growers don’t eat themselves, they are able to sell to other residents at the weekly resident farmer’s market. Or, they can donate their bounty to the main dining room.  The residents take pride in their work and enjoy sharing it with others in the community.  “It is pretty amazing to see the garden each summer,” admits Mayer.  LINK

(Source: McKnights)

Already a celebrity in nursing home circles, Oscar, the cat famous for predicting the deaths of terminal residents, will be getting the big-screen star treatment in a new Hollywood film.  The film is an adaptation of the best-selling book “Making the Rounds With Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat” by Dr. David Dosa. The author is a practicing geriatrician and health services researcher at Brown University in Providence, RI. The film is expected to chronicle Dosa's discovery of Oscar's particular talent, and the impact it has had on his personal beliefs, according to the Hollywood trade magazine Variety.

Neither an expected release date nor names of cast members were announced The film will be put out by the Wind Dancer Films and Anonymous Content companies, Variety reports. A similar plot wherein a cat could predict the deaths of patients was used in a recent episode of the Fox TV series “House, M.D.”  LINK

WATCH THIS   

(Source:  Culture Change Now, Action Pact Newsletter)

Therapy animals and visiting animals have made appearances in nursing homes for years, but something really special happens when animals actually live at the nursing home. In our homes, pets hang out. They come and go from rooms, they snuggle up when they want to be pet, they go off and do their odd little animal things. For many of us, their presence in this way has always been a part of daily life so that similar presence in the nursing home is a great comfort and a step in the direction of "normal."

When a pet lives at the nursing home residents and staff have a chance to build a relationship with it - and around it for that matter; staff and residents share a communal sense of ownership of the pet and always have a shared interest conversation starter.  Of course, some of these pets choose to make their own relationships. A while back, our own Culture Change Now Magazine Vol. 4 (http://www.actionpact.com/mag-ish4.html) featured a story about Mandy, a dog that had a special bond with one resident in particular.

More recently, Ollie the cat from Episcopal Church Home in St. Paul, MN was featured on the front page of the St. Paul Star Tribune daily newspaper. Episcopal Church Home has been operating in the household model for two years. Ollie is Gilbert House household's pet. Besides the usual companionship, Ollie has an uncanny knack for knowing when residents need him most. Read the story here: http://www.twincities.com/ci_16169206?nclick_check=1

Of course residents should be consulted about if they would like to have a pet in their home and arrangements need to be made with staff for its care. This link to the NHRegs site is helpful for checking Federal and State regulations regarding pets.  MORE