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Animals
As Therapy in Mental Health
Conference – 16th May
The State Hospital, Carstairs in Scotland was the venue for
the recent conference on Animals As Therapy in Mental Health
writes Maureen Hennis, Director of Pets As Therapy.
Delegates attended from Hospitals, Prisons, Probation Services
as well as Universities, Colleges and Pets As Therapy. This
was the first conference of its kind in the U.K.
Thomas Reid BSc (Forensic Nursing) RMN welcomed everyone to
the State Hospital in his role as Manager of Patient Activity
and Recreational Services. This hospital provides treatment
and care in conditions of special security for individuals with
mental disorder who, because of their dangerous, violent or
criminal propensities, cannot be cared for in any other setting.
Alexandra More, Unit Team Leader and Aileen Galt, Rehabilitation
Instructor both spoke about animals as therapy at the State
Hospital and were both totally convinced of the benefits of
animals at the hospital.
This was followed by Elizabeth Ormerod, Veterinary Surgeon and
Chairperson of SCAS who spoke on the History of Companion Animals
in Mental Health. The use of animals in therapy is certainly
not a new idea it goes back many hundreds of years and it has
always been found that animals increased communication, reduced
tenseness, improved trust and made patients smile.
Animal Assisted Therapy : A catalyst for Change was the subject
for Tracey Brannan, a Social Worker with the Essex Mental Health
Team. Tracey was accompanied by her two registered PAT dogs
Gem and Chip. Tracey was instrumental in setting up a dog walking
group for service users. This has proved to be extremely successful
and delegates were shown a number of photographs which showed
the joy that this service is bringing. Patients can either bring
their own dogs along to go walking or they can simply accompany
other members of the group and be in amongst the dogs.
There followed a tour of the hospital's Pine Grove Gardens and
the Animal Therapy Centre. The gardens including greenhouses,
pools complete with goldfish and beautiful plants are all grown
and tended by the patients. The Animal Therapy Centre was a
delight with Chipmunks, birds, Guinea Pigs, Rabbits etc., all
of which are looked after very successfully by the patients.
These animals along with the visiting dog bring comfort, love
and companionship to the patients, many of whom are non-communicative
until they have contact with the animals.
Projects
Back in the conference centre Alison Murray, lecturer from Myerscough
College spoke on the Winston Churchill Fellowship and the research
she undertook on her trip to the U.S.A. visiting several projects
concerned with Animal Assisted Therapy in Seattle, Washington,
Denver, Colorado, Utah State, California, New York and Philadelphia.
The applications of AAT were in Prisons, Residential care settings
for elderly people, children and mental health.
A twenty year old programme in Purdy Women's Correctional Facility
in Seattle has received great acclaim. A dog grooming service
has been set up along with a programme where the women train
service dogs. This has found to reduce recidivism rates and
also on many occasions provides employment on release.
Alison also looked at the Animal Welfare Issued e.g. species
suitability, environment and the animals needs.
June McNicholas Senior Research Fellow, Health Psychologist
at University of Warwick spoke on the Potential Benefits of
Animals and on how important it is to obtain research on AAT.
Discussion Groups and Feedback ended a day which it was felt
had been so beneficial that it should become an annual event.
I have always been convinced of the benefits of Animal Assisted
Therapy however one speaker at the conference really confirmed
my thoughts. Charles is a patient at the State hospital. He
stood in front of a conference room full of professionals and
spoke on his life, which is so tragic that I will not go into
it in this column and also his subsequent illness which led
him to attempt suicide on several occasions, very nearly succeeding.
Charles started visiting the small animal unit at the hospital
and eventually started caring for the animals.
Charles told us that it was during one of these sessions, while
he was cuddling a rabbit that he suddenly realised, this tiny
animal trusted him and for the first time in his life he was
a carer. This involvement with animals, Charles told us, has
given him back his life, totally turning around the way he views
things. Here in this charming young man was the proof that Animal
Assisted Therapy is a very valuable resource, one which must
have a much bigger future in the U.K. today.
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