A help for elderly people and their pets
CuraMI&ProteggiMI is a project of Fondazione Ravasi Garzanti, launched in 2020, which, thanks to the experience of Cooperativa Sociale Eureka! and Associazione InCerchio, created a network of services in Milan focused on the well-being of older people. The project offers various types of integrated services to accompany people throughout their life journey.
A new aspect has now been added to this initial project, expanding and completing its field of activity: PortaMI a Spasso. This project introduces new initiatives for older people and their pets, helping them overcome the difficulties that may arise in caring for their animals as they age, so that they do not have to give up their companionship and the many benefits it provides. At the same time, the project aims to protect pets from an uncertain future, as it is not uncommon for animals to be placed in shelters when their owners are no longer able to care for them.
The general objective of the project is to address loneliness among older people, a group already characterised by vulnerability. In recent years, this vulnerability has increased, making isolation more deeply felt by the population in general and by older people in particular. Activities involving older people and animals can foster social relationships within the neighbourhood and the wider community and can provide a first step towards support, without making the elderly the primary recipients of the initiatives.
Research has shown a positive correlation between pet ownership and the well-being of pet owners, and this relationship is even stronger when pets play a role in meeting the needs of older adults (McConnell et al., 2011).
PortaMI a Spasso has three phases:
1.
Training of operators
Training operators who are able to combine family care and support, providing social and healthcare services while also managing pets, both in terms of the human-animal relationship and the well-being of the animals.
2.
Support activities and services
Once trained, these professionals will provide activities and support services for older people, including dog walking and pet sitting, outings with older people and their pets, regular shopping for pet food, which can often be difficult to transport, as well as accompanying pets to veterinary appointments and grooming sessions. The project also includes recreational activities at home and outdoors, both individually and in groups, involving beneficiaries and animal shelters in Milan.
3.
Research and impact assessment
The third phase aims to measure the influence of companion animals on the physical and psychological health of older people.
The National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA), with which Fondazione Ravasi Garzanti and the CuraMI&ProteggiMI team collaborate to develop innovative solutions for older people, has invested significantly in developing new approaches to technology that can promote healthy longevity. This research will analyse the impact of the human-animal bond on health and well-being within families and communities through the use of smart devices for pets, measuring the physical and psychological health of older people living with companion animals.
By objectively measuring the health and well-being of both pets and their owners, the study will provide valuable insights into how the human-animal bond can influence the health of families and communities.
