news
Put pets on aged
care agenda
Aged care sector needs to make services
more animal friendly and allow residents
to keep their pets, animal group says.
A
nimal Welfare League Australia (AWLA) has urged the aged
care sector to embrace pet-friendly services to help older
adults remain with their own animals for as long as possible.
Citing its 2017 Pets in Aged Care Study, the group said only
18 per cent of Australia’s residential aged care facilities allow pets
to reside with their owners, while less than one in 10 in-home care
providers say they offer pet-friendly services.
Tasmania was found to have the largest percentage of facilities
that consider allowing residents to keep their own pet, while
Victoria and NSW had the lowest rate.
AWLA president Richard Mussell said the Commonwealth’s
new Aged Care Quality Standards offer the perfect opportunity
for the sector to make services more pet-friendly.
“Australia’s pet ownership rate (63 per cent) is the third-highest
in the world … and the proportion of Australians aged over 65 is
continuing to grow. Therefore, the aged care sector must respond
to the increasing demand for services that keep owners and their
pets together,” Mussell said.
Stuart Gillies, national executive officer of AWLA, said providers
are potentially missing out on an opportunity to attract pet
owners who would like to maintain the bond they have with
their companion animals but added AWLA is very aware of the
difficulties providers face embracing this issue.
Organisations may feel that a shortage of staff or volunteers,
and workplace health and safety, financial or legal concerns, are
barriers to pet-friendly services, but Gillies said AWLA is happy
to work with providers who are looking for ways to be more
pet-friendly.
The benefits of doing so not only include maintaining the
human-animal bond, which has proven health benefits, but a
reduction in animal surrender rates, Mussell added.
The 2017 AWLA study held that up to 10,000 animals may have
been surrendered because of elderly-related reasons throughout
Australia in 2016. Reasons included owner health, unsuitable pet
accommodation at home, inability or unwillingness of family
members to care for the pet and a lack of financial means. ■
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