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Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Washington County News | Holmes County Times-Advertiser | B3
Pet therapy in nursing homes: Assisted living may never be the same When the time comes for a family member to move into a nursing home or retirement community, many worry their loved ones will begin to feel lonely and PET TALK unneeded as time goes by. Fortunately, thanks to people such as Kit Darling and Dr. Karen Snowden and their work with organizations like Aggieland Pets With A Purpose, many elderly residents are getting the chance to experience the
unconditional love of a pet. “People in nursing homes usually face a lot of physical challenges, and having a pet live with them is not an option,� said Kit Darling, infection control coordinator at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science (CVM). “But many nursing homes now will allow personal pets to visit or may schedule pet visits with an animal-assisted therapy group.� Aggieland Pets With A Purpose, or APWAP, is a non-profit animal-assisted therapy organization. APWAP members and their pets, usually dogs or cats,
visit assisted-living and nursing home facilities. “It is always very rewarding to see a person smile or talk about their pets when one of my APWAP-certified dogs like Dexter or Daschle visits a nursing home facility,� Darling said. “Each animal involved in APWAP has passed a temperament test and receives regular veterinary care with parasite control and vaccinations in order to be a part of the program,� Darling said. “It is also important for the animals that visit to be healthy and clean, so all of our animals have a bath within 24 hours prior to a visit, including
having their nails filed and ears cleaned.� Some retirement communities and assistedliving facilities allow their residents to have pets live with them. In these communities, the residents usually have an apartment and must be physically able to care for their pet’s daily needs. The pet must also be friendly toward other people and animals and should have regular visits with its veterinarian to ensure it is healthy. There may also be restrictions on the type and size of pets allowed depending on the facility. “Having a pet can
be greatly beneficial to the health of the older population,� said Dr. Karen Snowden, professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science (CVM). “A pet can provide companionship and social opportunities for the elderly population, as well as physical, psychological and emotional health benefits.�
“After children are grown and maybe a spouse has passed, a person may feel isolated and inessential,� Snowden said. “Having to care for a pet provides a sense of need, and having regular interactions with a pet has shown to lower blood pressure, decrease anxiety, increase physical activity and enhance social opportunities.�
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PHOTOS BY CECILIA SPEARS | Extra
Bonifay Elementary School students gathered around for a demonstration of “worm fiddling� on June 18.
BES students enjoy summer learning at WINGS By CECILIA SPEARS
547-9414 | @WCN_HCT cspears@chipleypaper.com BONIFAY — As the Bonifay Elementary School students continue their education with the summer learning program known as Winners Growing Strong, the students gathered around for a demonstration of “worm fiddling� on June 18. “The theme this year is Making Sense of Bugs and Slugs,� BES assistant principal Phillip Byrd said. “It is project-based learning with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics activities that relate to using our five senses to understand bugs and slugs.� Byrd said this theme is used in every subject of study. BES students also participated in sports activities at the Bonifay Middle School gym, learning the importance of teamwork, courtesy and other qualities found in organized group conduct. More photos are available online at www.bonifaynow.com.
SOLUTION ON PAGE B5
Above: Bonifay
Elementary School students also participated in sports activities and lectures. Left: Students found the “worm fiddling� demonstration a success as vibrations caused worms to surface from underground.
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