„Activating methods for seniors"

1. „Activating methods for seniors"

2. Approximately every fifth Polish citizen is over productivity-age (women over 60y.o., men over 65y.o.)

3. The number of retired people systematically grows

4. The rate of the pension benefit in Poland and in UE countries

5. low financial status causes low social status • difficult access to social life social isolation social rejection

6. Country policy in practice • Reduction – twice a year 37% reduction in train class II, • Bus communication – no reduction • Local communication – 50%reduction • Reductions or free access to museums, galeries

7. People who take pension • 85,7% - haven`t got any other source of income • 12% -take a pension and work part-time

8. Summary Bad financial situation+no activity on labour market Cultural life NGO`s activity for seniors

9. 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

10. 1/ Third Age University (TAU)

11. Most of universities work as NGOs • The beginning in 90`s • „TAU” organize lectures and meetings with people of art, culture and sport • Touristic activities • Clubs of hobbies • Publishing books and periodicals

12. Third Age University in action

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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 Szkoła,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

16. 3/ Senior clubs • Usually are not formal legal entities • They work as a part of housing cooperative • Organise irregular meetings

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

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

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

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

21. Alternative method of activating seniors-assistance dog programmes • Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) • Animal Assisted Education (AAE) • Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT)

22. AAA dogs help by visiting the people , it doesn’t 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

25. How do animals influence pensionnaire’s 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

26. Social benefit: topic to conversation, • Health benefit: touching animals reduce blood pressure • Feeling of being accepted – a dog doesn’t judge by appearances or disabilities • Many people were pet owners in the past, this contact brings good memories and again topic for conversation

27. 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

28. 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

29. RETIRED ANIMATOR DOG

30. Standards for the therapeutic dog • Dog should be CALM and POLITE, shouldn’t 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

31. 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 shouldn’t react to pain which sometimes can be caused by a visited person

32. 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

33. 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 dog’s health controlls

34. In Poland there are no formal requirements for a person to use AAT, s/he doesn’t 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.

35. Animator must be responsible and evaluate the dog, if it’is 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

36. 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.

37. 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

38. My private therapists  „SWAT” „SZOGUN”

39. Thank you for your attention DVM Karolina Czyż, Poland