Care provider promoting the power of pets

Published by Oliver Kinbrum for Sanctuary Housing Association in Health and also in Housing

A leading care provider has been recognised by the RSPCA for its innovative and open approach to bringing pets and animals into its care homes.

Sanctuary Care, which owns more than 40 older persons care homes across the country, was awarded the runner-up spot in the Innovator in Animal Welfare Award at the animal charity’s prestigious, annual Community Animal Welfare Footprints (CAWF) Awards 2011. The awards recognise the hard work and commitment of those who improve animal welfare in their area of work.

In seeking to provide the highest quality of care for its residents, Sanctuary recognises the positive effects that pet ownership and simply spending time with animals can have. To this end, Sanctuary has recently launched a drive to actively promote the inclusion of at least one pet in every home.

Sanctuary Care’s homes now boast a large and varied selection of animals including cats, dogs, guinea-pigs and fish, to name but a few, and with so many animals now being cared for at the homes the welfare of the animals had to be monitored .

This led to the creation of the ‘Pets in Care Homes’ policy which formalised the implementation of ‘Pet Agreements’ and care plans for the animals. These agreements ensure welfare is monitored and maintained and allow residents to play a full part in looking after the pets.

Staff are also encouraged to bring their pets into work. Sanctuary’s Director of Care, Len Merton, who often brings his pet Shitzu, Cassie, to his office at Hatfield Nursing Home, said: “It’s always a pleasure to bring Cassie into work and, apart from the odd stolen slipper, the residents love her!

“At Sanctuary we recognise the importance of pets to our residents’ psychological and emotional wellbeing. They can provide a settling influence, offering some continuity when residents move in, helping them to feel more at home in their new surroundings and enabling them to adjust to a new routine more easily.

“On top of that, looking after animals has been shown to have therapeutic effects for residents, promoting good health and helping to reduce both stress and blood pressure levels.”

As well as pets belonging to the homes, to staff and to individual residents, Sanctuary Care’s homes also welcome visitors’ pets and Pets As Therapy (PAT) dogs along with a number of more exotic creatures, including birds of prey, donkeys and water dragons, as part of activity sessions.