Animatronic pets comfort isolated patients at Hope Hospice
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY –The COVID-19 pandemic has increased isolation among hospice care patients. Because of this, Hope Hospice has introduced animatronic pets to help lessen the impact.
Robotic dog and cat toys can comfort older adults in need of companionship. With this in mind, Ageless Innovation designed their Joy for All Companion Pets™ to help out when needed. Early studies specifically charted the benefits for people living with Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of cognitive decline. The battery-powered pets, when stroked, become alert and make lifelike noises and small movements.
With a generous donation from NorCal Minis car club, Hope Hospice purchased 20 of the Companion Pet cats to start. Due to hygiene protocols, especially at this time of heightened concern, the cats are gifted to the recipient, not expected to be returned for reuse.
Year-long quarantine
“No one expected quarantine orders to have carried on this long,” says Nikki Tildesley, Manager of Volunteer Services at Hope Hospice. “But here we are, nearly a year into this pandemic, and our patients continue to go without the benefit of face-to-face companionship visits from our volunteers, and in many cases, even the patient’s own family. They are truly suffering.”
Patients with dementia are especially prone to experiencing side effects of long-term social isolation and loneliness. “It’s common for care providers to observe increased agitation, confusion, and repetitive behaviors in their patients who are struggling with a change in routine, like what this pandemic has caused,” says Gia Barsell, Manager of Dementia Services at Hope Hospice. “At Hope, we teach a lot about unwanted dementia-related behaviors, which can be things like agitation and generally being uncooperative for bathing and other daily activities. As the underlying disease that causes dementia progresses, verbal ability wanes and behaviors become the patient’s main form of communication. So, the patient is usually trying to communicate an unmet need in the only way he or she can.”
Pharmacological interventions may make an agitated patient easier to care for. But is that what’s best for the patient? Barsell explains, “These medicines essentially sedate the person, when it’s better long-term to figure out what is causing agitation. Sometimes, it’s a simple solution like identifying and treating a urinary tract infection or lowering ambient noise in a sitting room.”
Improved well-being
Clinical studies conducted with these Companion Pets have shown positive results in mitigating behavior issues and potentially improving cognitive abilities in older adults. Common findings across the studies showed positive changes including reduced anxiety and agitation, and improved overall well-being, resulting in socialization with others, decreased episodes of delirium, decreased need for psychotropic medications, and reduction in caregiver burden.
One care provider participating in a study reports: “The [patient] was withdrawn, rarely interactive, and frequently mumbled incoherently. With the introduction of the pup, the patient would smile, laugh, talk to, and pick up the pet. Her son observed that, as a result, she was more responsive to him.”
Hope Hospice began distributing the cats to its dementia patients in December. The non-profit organization will seek grant funding and donations to continue the program and to get lap-dog models as well.
About Hope Hospice and Ageless Innovation
Hope Hospice is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, proudly serving the Tri-Valley and neighboring East Bay cities since 1980. Learn more about their services and community programs at www.HopeHospice.com or contact them at (925) 829-8770.
Ageless Innovation is a global company devoted to developing fun and engaging products for older adults. www.joyforall.com