Low-cost “Pets and People” scheme points to a new prescription for pandemic-era loneliness.
A Monash University trial pairing international students with aged care residents shows that sharing time with animals can cut loneliness and lift health at a fraction of the usual public health price tag.
The 18-week pilot, funded by the National Centre for Healthy Ageing, brought 30 residents from two Victorian aged care homes together with 11 Monash volunteers for weekly one-hour sessions built around pets, robotic animals and animal-themed games. The study measured results before and after using the UCLA Loneliness Scale and EuroQol-5D health index.
“We found that both older adults and international students experienced a significant decrease in feelings of loneliness and a significant increase in their health. The presence of live pets in particular helped to break the ice and facilitated conversations between participants,” said program lead Dr Em Bould.
Loneliness scores dropped from 49.4 to 41.4, while overall health rose from 0.741 to 0.800. A cost-utility analysis put the expense at just A$4,017 per quality-adjusted life year, far below the federal benchmark of A$28,000.
“I was lonely, so the program has perked me up. I feel like I have made some friends, and it’s made me feel less lonely,” one resident reported. An international student added, “After doing this program, I always feel like my mood becomes better, and I feel more relaxed, and just happier than before.”
Running the program for at least 10 of the 18 sessions cost about A$237 per participant, a figure Dr Bould called “a promising example of a low-cost program that can enhance health related quality of life, wellbeing and feelings of loneliness.”
Related: Why older Australians deserve to keep their pets
Aged care provider Fronditha Care has already expanded the model to five sites. CEO Faye Spiteri OAM said, “We welcomed the partnership because we understand the importance of a program like this in creating opportunities for our elders to experience the joy that pets bring. By reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation, the program supports their health and wellbeing and we have seen positive and encouraging health outcomes as a result.”
Dr Bould argues the results should prompt wider adoption: “The Pets and People program has the potential for replication and scaling across aged care settings both in Australia and internationally.”
Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.
