HUMAN HEALTH

Human Health

How Pets Are Beneficial For the Lives of the People?

Background of the Topic

Recent studies have furnished the data that pet owners are less subject to stress and that their cholesterol level and blood pressure were lower than in people who had no pets company. The scientific data is unequivocal in showing that pets can be a significant factor in dealing with stress responses for all people and can have a major beneficial effect on special groups, such as persons with physical and mental disabilities, seniors and others who may be socially isolated. The medical recognition of the significance of the human-animal bond and its influence on human psychological health has become a subject of serious research. Human findings include lower blood pressure, relaxed heart rate, regular breathing and less muscle tension — all signs of reduced stress. Individuals with disabilities are particularly susceptible to stress, and hence, all of the secondary problems associated. Up to 25 percent of people who seek the services of a general practitioner do so for depressive and anxiety disorders (Kushner, Blatner, Jewell and Rudloff, 2006).

Depression is considered to be much more disabling, socially and physically, than many chronic conditions. Although depression can be caused by many factors, one of the most common is loneliness. People who lack human contact often benefit from pet ownership and the emotional bond that pets provide. Recently researchers looked at a group of people 60 and older living alone or only with a pet. Non-pet owners were four times more likely to be diagnosed as clinically depressed as pet owners of the same age (Gagnon, Bouchard, Landry, Belles-Isles, Fortier and Fillion, 2004). The evidence also showed that pet owners required fewer medical services and were more satisfied with their lives. In the year 2010 Dr. Aubrey Fine edited a stunning collection of chapters on animal-assisted therapy, theoretical foundations and guidelines for practice, in which the authors explore the animal-human bond — from the use of animals with individuals with autism spectrum disorder to human-animal interactions in successful aging. Animals have become an important part of the lives of many people of all ages, and there are now numerous studies to support the beneficial effects, both physiological and psychosocial (Kushner, Blatner, Jewell and Rudloff, 2006).

Thesis Statement

The use of animal in various medical conditions is beneficial for the patients.

Animal-Assisted Therapy Interventions

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) interventions are designed to assist the person in need and are often broken down into three categories: contact with animals, caring for animals, and animals used with psychotherapy. Intervention strategies are chosen depending on the specific needs of each individual (Gagnon, Bouchard, Landry, Belles-Isles, Fortier and Fillion, 2004).

Examples of interventions that concentrate on contact with animals might be visits with an AAT team (registered therapy animal and handler) implemented to increase the quality of one's life, decrease loneliness, or provide a sense of overall well-being. Another intervention strategy—designed by Linda Buettner, a recreational therapist— is called Pet Encounters. Pet Encounters is a holistic intervention for people with ...