The Role of Companion Animals in The Lives of People Living with Dementia & Vice Versa: A One Welfare Approach

Description

Healthy ageing involves the creation of environments that enable all older adults to do what they value throughout their lives (WHO, 2020). A value often overlooked is continued care for a pet. Animals play an integral role in the lives of people living with dementia with several positive effects identified (Baun & McCabe, 2003; McCabe, et al., 2002). Despite this, individuals transitioning into care, continue to experience forced separation from their pets (Fox & Ray, 2019). This practice is also commonly accepted as the norm with little consideration of the impact on both human and animal. It is our belief that failing to see the importance of animals in the lives of people with dementia can stem from ageist beliefs and misperceptions about the older adults’ capacity to care for an animal. We therefore believe a One Welfare approach may go some way to better understanding and serving the needs of people living with dementia and their pets.

Period	21 Feb 2024
Event title	Dementia in a Multispecies World
Event type	Workshop
Location	Ayr, United KingdomShow on map
Degree of Recognition	National