Spending time with pet animals is an effective way of reducing loneliness for people in residential care.

Many older people get very lonely - whether they live alone or are in residential long-term care. But there's a simple way round this problem - provide the person with a pet to cuddle and care for. There's been a lot of anecdotal evidence about the power of pets. Now a new study, from researchers in St Louis, Missouri, adds to this evidence.

They looked at animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and its effects on a group of residents in a care home - most of them female, widowed and over 75. Just 30 minutes a week with a pet had a powerful effect on reducing loneliness, they report. For many of the residents, the animal revived fond memories of childhood pets. It seems that AAT could be a simple and effective way of improving quality of life for those in long-term care.

Source

Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences July 2002