Review of activating methods for seniors

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Activating methods for seniors"
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Approximately every fifth Polish citizen is over
productivity-age (women over 60y.o., men over
65y.o.)
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The number of retired people systematically grows
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The rate of the pension benefit in Poland and in
UE countries
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• low financial status causes low social status
• difficult access to social life
• social isolation social rejection

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Country policy in practice

• Reduction twice a year 37 reduction in
  train class II,
• Bus communication no reduction
• Local communication 50reduction
• Reductions or free access to museums, galeries

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People who take pension

• 85,7 - havent got any other source of income
• 12 -take a pension and work part-time

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Summary

• Bad financial situationno activity on labour
  market

Cultural life
NGOs activity for seniors
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Examples of organisations providing activities
for retired people

• 1/ Third Age University
• 2/ Local non-govermental organisations and
  foundations
• 3/ Senior clubs
• 4/ Church charities

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1/ Third Age University (TAU)
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• Most of universities work as NGOs
• The beginning in 90s
• TAU organize lectures and meetings with people
  of art, culture and sport
• Touristic activities
• Clubs of hobbies
• Publishing books and periodicals

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Third Age University in action
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Aim of TAU

• Inclusion of seniors to life-long learning
  system, stimulation of intelectual and physical
  development
• Animate social life and improve quality of life
  in older age
• Disseminate geriatric prophylaxis
• Providing various forms of artistic, health,
  educational, cultural and touristic activities
• Unfourtunatelly number of places is limited
• Seniors must co-finance their participation

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2/ Local non-govermental organisations and
foundations

• in many places in Poland are created NGOs
• they are sponsored by local sponsors or grants
• some of their activity is devoted to seniors

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• Projects to minimalize generation gap
• - the aim group is children/youth and
  seniors
• Courses for seniors on Internet skills as a
  possibility to combat e-exclusion
• - example Active senior (Fundacja Nasza
  Szkola,Lublin)
• Senior in web
  (Towarzystwo polsko-niemieckie,Kraków)
• Courses in taking care of children of different
  age groups
• (Spending together time creatively,
  interesting and active)
• - example Grandmothers school
• Journalism
• Projects focused on art and creativity

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3/ Senior clubs

• Usually are not formal legal entities
• They work as a part of housing cooperative
• Organise irregular meetings

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Role of FAMILY

• In most cases, family is responsible to provide
  older persons care, food, financial help
• The old person in return is for a family a source
  of kindness, takes care of grandchildren, helps
  in household

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Conclusion

• Most of organizations help only part of retired
  people, these who are independent enough to walk
  to the place without problems

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• What about the people who are to weak or too ill
  to attend courses and have to stay at home / in
  bed/?

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• Their possibilities are limited
• For them interesting offer can be dog assisted
  therapy

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Alternative method of activating
seniors-assistance dog programmes

• Animal Assisted Activities (AAA)
• Animal Assisted Education (AAE)
• Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT)

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• AAA dogs help by visiting the people , it doesnt
  have to follow therapeutic plan
• AAE method used especially with children..mental
  disorders.. ( help with learning skills)
• AAT concerns therapy ,involves therapeutic plan
  with goals to be accomplished

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How do animals influence pensionnaires life ?

• Visiting makes them feel more confident, less
  lonely
• Physical benefit during touching they exercise
  their hands and arms (streching, moving in soft
  coat)
• Entertainment it distracts them from pain,
  boredom and lonelness

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• Social benefit topic to conversation,
• Health benefit touching animals reduce blood
  pressure
• Feeling of being accepted a dog doesnt judge
  by appearances or disabilities
• Many people were pet owners in the past, this
  contact brings good memories and again topic for
  conversation

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Group therapy

• Usually the group of pensionnaries sit on chairs
  in a circle,
• Animator introduces the dog ,dog may perform,
  show the tricks, if there is someone who wants to
  pet the dog, he can do so
• the meeting can proceed also outdoors, they can
  take a lash and go for a short walk
• Main goal is group integration in friendly
  ambiance

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Individual visits

• Visits can be proceeded in personal rooms,
• This option is for those who have to stay in
  bed,
• A sesion lasts for about half an hour ,once a
  week, number of meetings is unlimited
• Goal is relationship beetwen dog and pensioneer

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RETIRED
ANIMATOR
DOG
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Standards for the therapeutic dog

• Dog should be CALM and POLITE, shouldnt touch a
  person, unless invited. A person should feel
  comfortable not forced for contact.
• Willing to meeting - there are many obedient
  dogs, not everyone is suitable, because not
  everyone ENJOYS meeting strangers, if not, people
  may feel rejected

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• Dog should be
• OBEDIENT, walk on a lash without pulling, when
  told to stay, stay, not making noise, absolutely
  under control. The visited person must feel safe
• RESISTANT to enviroment noise, strange
  behaviour, but also for other animals dogs,
  cats, birds
• Dog shouldnt react to pain which sometimes can
  be caused by a visited person

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• The dog must be mature
• There are breeds of dogs especially predisposed
  like
• Labrador retriever,
• Golden retriever
• Siberian husky
• Group of Terriers
• gender, weight, colour are indifferent

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What are the requirements for an animator?

• Person should have a suitable personality
• Be patient, polite, tolerant
• Open
• Tackful
• Responsible
• Should ensure its dog safe conditions of work
• Regular dogs health controlls

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• In Poland there are no formal requirements for a
  person to use AAT, s/he doesnt have to be a
  therapeut
• Most of animators have experience in working with
  dogs, in general.
• Attend courses concerning animal therapy in
  Poland and abroad.

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• Animator must be responsible and evaluate the
  dog, if itis ready, if it has suitable
  personality one mistake can be followed by
  forbitting dogs at all in care homes
• Its safer to proceed as an organization than as
  an individual

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We touch only a part of a problem

• We talked only about role of dog programmes, but
  for animalotherapy can be used as well cats,
  birds, or even turtles
• Senior as an owner of a dog or a cat also play
  important role as pleasant duty, which encourages
  to go outsite, to remember about food, walks,
  vets examination and as emotional benefit.

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Situation in Poland

• Dogs are often used for children therapy
• It still happens, that dogs are not allowed to
  come in care homes
• Situation is changing for better, the idea of
  using animal in variety of programmes is becoming
  more and more popular

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My private therapists ?
SWAT
SZOGUN
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• Thank you
• for your attention

DVM Karolina Czyz, Poland