1
7~h itr^cJay, yKprril 9, 1981
Pets are good for the elderly respon
Frances Pilger, 69, takes pride in the responsibility of feeding her daughter’s dog, Honey, a
6-month-old Pomeranian. According to nursing home directors, old people need this type of
responsibility to maintain autonomy and self respect.
Photo by Brian Tate
5 FISH RICHARDS BAKERY
PRESENTS THEIR NEW
German Pastry Chef
DETLEF HAHN
with a complete selection
of pastries available
(cakes decorated for all occasions)
i
803 Wellborn Rd.
693-8418
OPEN 7 a.m.
Mon.-Sat.
By Susan Hopkins
C Battalion Staff
ompanion animals may be
the only source of affection and
responsibility left to some old
people. However, as their
medical needs increase and they
have to enter nursing homes,
they are also required to give up
their pets.
Texas law forbids animals to
reside in nursing homes for ob
vious health and safety reasons.
But advocates of pet therapy —
who strongly beUeve that pets
are good for people, especially
the elderly — are working to
change, or at least re-interpret
this law.
Clarice Seufert, in 'Tets in a
Nursing Home Environment,"
says that many oldsters experi
ence loss of self esteem and
autonomy, as well as loss of
some basic freedoms and re
sponsibilities, during their tran
sition from community life to in
stitutional environments.
Studies have shown that pets
could help ease this transition,
and, in fact, give elderly people
a will to live as the animals be
come therapeutic social
catalysts.
As a result, a Minnesota law
now allows companion animals
on the premises of nursing
homes, subject to certain rules
as to care, type and maintenance
of the pets.
Dr. Bill McCulloch, professor
of veterinary public health at
Texas A&M University, is work
ing with both Texas officials and
Bryan-College Station nursing
and retirement home adminis
trators to establish a similar
program here that would allow
pets in such public institutions.
Presently, the state law re
garding animals in nursing
homes is vague, and must be
interpreted by health depart
ment surveyors.
An inspector of nursing
homes for Region 6 (which in
cludes Brazos County) says that
interpretation based on past ex
periences now allows animals to
stay on the grounds of nursing
homes, although they may not
enter the buildings.
Several musing and retire
ment home activity directors
have responded favorably to the
idea of having pets available to
elderly residents, even if they
must be kept outside.
Debbie Sulik, of Sherwood
Health Care Facility in Bryan,
says that 80 percent of the resi
dents there are from farming
backgrounds that included
animals. She says animals out
side the musing home — even
chickens, hogs and cows —
could create a sense of reality for
many patients there.
jA.nd Bonnie Knowles,
activity director at Leisure
Lodge Nursing Home, said,
"One woman (at Leisure Lodge)
cleans her room at least 12 times
a day because there is nothing
else for her to do. She used to
milk cows and feed the chickens
every day on her farm. She
needs that same kind of respon
sibility here."
Sulik says that although she
does not believe pets should
take the place of people for com
panionship, she has known
elderly residents who refuse to
leave their rooms to socialize.
Animals may be an incentive to
draw them out, she says.
The only animals that any
Bryan-College Station musing
or retirement home residents
see are fish and lizards that are
enclosed in containers set in the
main rooms of homes.
"These people need
touching," Sulik says. "They
need the added aspect of giving
and receiving unconditional
love; and just watching a terrar
ium does not seem to satisfy
this."
She says her main concern ab
out having animals at the facility
is that they would bite or harm
the residents, who in turn may
hold Sherwood liable.
"If Texas allows animals, we
also need a law to say that it's
the resident's pet and that the
home is not liable," she says.'
Spare land in back of Sher
wood, and most other local
nursing homes as well, would
lend itself to kennels, pens or
stalls for a variety of animals. If
such a situation could be
arranged, Sulik says, she would
stress that the responsibility for
feeding and general upkeep of
the animals should be left up to
Local researchers are discussing plans for
like Frances Pilger, 69, (above) to “visit”
them, if required to enter a nursing horn