The Use Of Animals In Rehabilitation Therapy
Our main objective is to promote your
therapy goals for each patient that we assist you with. As a result of this effort, we are constantly adding to,
and improving our skills and techniques. The following are some of the therapeutic benefits in using an animal to
enhance your treatment:
| MOTIVATION: |
- Therapy is more fun & interesting with an animal
- Patients forget pain, depression & limitations when interacting with animals
- Frustration level is less when working with an animal.
|
| RANGE OF MOTION: |
- Tossing Ball or Frisbee
- Brushing, Petting, or other types of Grooming
- Tug of War
- Visual tracking & following animal's movement
- Giving treats
- Squeezing squeaky toys or balls
|
| BALANCE: |
- Walking dog from wheelchair, walker or freestanding
- Tossing & bending to pick up ball or toy
- Getting & putting down water for animal
- Reaching to pet from right or left side or across body
|
| MEMORY LOSS: |
- Dog's name, breed, history
- Handler's name
- Dog's picture book activities
- Commands to animal
|
| SPEECH: |
- Giving obedience commands
- Clicking lips and/or tongue to get dog's attention
- Calling animal's name
|
| SENSORY STIMULATION: |
- The feel of fur and warmth
- Dog "kisses"
- The feel of feet, nails, tails, ears, nose, etc.
- Hearing the dog bark
|
| PROBLEM SOLVING: |
- Choosing type of treat or toy
- Deciding where to go during a walk & how to get there
- Giving dog appropriate commands
- Choosing type of activity to do with animal
- Where to hide a treat for animal to find
|
| ENDURANCE: |
- Throwing ball for long periods
- Walking with animal
|
| SELF ESTEEM: |
- Social interaction because of animal (always an attention-getter)
- Animal's total acceptance of disability
- Empowerment in giving commands & getting a response
|
Intermountain Therapy Animals maintains the highest standards in animal-assisted therapy. All of our animals
have been tested and registered for temperament and ability. Each animal is insured for liability and is
required to meet strict grooming standards, prior to each visit. Our teams have been
given training to further their skills and knowledge in animal-assisted therapy. We continually upgrade
our training to ensure that we meet the changing needs of this new and exciting therapy.
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