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Pets and older people

10 August 2010

Barbro Westerholm, Member of the Swedish Parliament, calls for greater analysis of research on issues surrounding pets and older people.

Delivered at the 12th International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organisations (IAHAIO) conference in July Staff member and cat in treatment room2010, Westerholm was speaking as a previous Chairperson of the Swedish Government committee on Housing for the Elderly.    

In her speech, Westerholm called for the committee to be tasked with summarising current scientific evidence on the value of animals in environments where older people are cared for, within psychiatric care settings and in prisons. The committe should then go on, she urged, to make recommendations about the training of the staff and ensure they have the relevant training to guarantee safety and quality for all involved.