Animal Assisted Therapy

Dr Fredricks has reported that animal companionship has been a source of comfort and relief from suffering throughout history. For years, pet therapy has been a subject of study for nursing and other health care disciplines which are concerned with emotional well-being and quality of life. There are many types of pet therapy, such as animal-assisted activities, animal-assisted therapy, animals in human therapy, canine visitation therapy, companion animal therapy, pet-assisted therapy, and pet-facilitated therapy. Animal assisted therapy helps with depression by providing psychological support in terms of emotional connection, stress reduction, reduced feelings of loneliness, and attenuation of depression. Owning pets has been shown to enhance well-being among all populations, including children, people with disabilities, and the elderly. Animal-assisted therapy also helps with what the psychiatrists label as schizophrenia. Animal-assisted therapy has been shown to encourage mobility, interpersonal contact, and communication and reinforces activities of daily living, including personal hygiene and independent self-care. Calm and friendly dogs and other pets also provide good companionship for people. Animal-assisted therapy is also very helpful for stress management. A nice cat, dog or other pet on your lap does wonders for your mood and stress relief. Animal-assisted therapy has also been shown to help with Alzheimer's Disease by increasing social behaviors such as smiling, laughing, touching, verbalization, and name-calling.