Background
Introducing pets and animal therapy into an institutionalized resident's routine improves their psychopathological status and perceived quality of life. It is also known to foster sociability and reduce reliance on psychotropic medications. During the COVID-19 pandemic, pet therapy in the nursing home has been discontinued to prevent the spread of the virus from volunteers and possibly through some pets. Virtual visits from physicians and families have become routine; however, virtual pet therapy visits have not been studied before and may improve residents’ moods.
Objective/Aim
The aim was to understand the effects of discontinuing pet therapy during the COVID 19 pandemic on nursing home residents’ mood and wellbeing in a facility where pet therapy was previously well established. Additionally, we sought to evaluate the impact of virtual pet therapy visits on the residents’ mood and wellbeing.
Quality Improvement Methods
Charles Morris Nursing and Rehabilitation Center(CMNRC) is a non-profit 93-bed NH affiliated with the Jewish Association on Aging. Nineteen patients in the nursing facility were interviewed with a 5-question survey that sought to determine the impact of the discontinuation of pet therapy on mood. Residents were then offered virtual pet visits via iPads. Through this virtual visit, residents were able to hear and talk to animals. Residents were then offered the 5-question survey again. A visual analogue mood scale was used to rate mood. Patients with cognitive impairment were excluded.
Results
14/19 patients (73.7%) from the initial survey stated that they missed the prior visiting therapy pet. Additionally, 13/19 patients (68.4%) rated their mood as sad on the visual analogue scale due to the discontinuation of the pet therapy. On the initial questioning, 18/19 patients (94.7%) were willing to try virtual pet therapy. After completing the virtual pet visits, all 19/19 patients (100%) stated that they liked the virtual pet visit, and 1/19 patients (5.3%) even said that they preferred virtual pet visits over actual pet visits.
Conclusions
The patients at CMNRC were negatively impacted by the discontinuation of pet therapy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, most of them wanted to have a virtual pet visit if pet therapy could not be continued. Based on their responses, the patients may have benefits to their mood and wellbeing from the virtual pet visits. Further research will be needed to determine the practical impact of virtual pet therapy.
Disclosures
All authors have stated there are no financial disclosures to be made that are pertinent to this abstract.