How Pet Therapy Can Attract Residents and Boost Your Senior Living Community

Implementing a Successful Pet Therapy Program

Where pet ownership is not possible, senior living communities might consider offering pet therapy as an option to give residents in senior care the opportunity to interact with furry friends. Not only can interaction with pets in this way improve resident health, wellbeing and overall satisfaction, but pet therapy might also lead to higher occupancy rates and positive word-of-mouth referrals. Not to mention that the heartwarming stories and visuals associated with pet therapy can be powerful marketing tools, differentiating your community from competitors. 

Pet therapy may look different depending on what resources are available to your community. One innovative way of incorporating pets into your community is by involving your local town in a pet therapy program. To ensure pets are trained to interact calmly in a senior care environment, you might require that all participating pets pass the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizens course, a 10-skill test to train pets and owners who can safely and responsibly interact in your senior living environment. Consider inviting local town members whose pets are Canine Good Citizens to visit your community and interact with residents on a regular basis. To maximize the benefits of pet therapy, careful planning is essential. Consider partnering with reputable animal therapy organizations to ensure the well-being of both animals and residents. Proper training for staff and residents is also vital. By creating a pet-friendly environment, offering opportunities for interaction, and addressing potential challenges such as allergies, you can successfully implement a pet therapy program that enriches the lives of your residents and strengthens your community’s reputation.