At Concord we strive to provide a variety of mental and physical activities that engage our residents, and we’ve found that our pet therapy program provides joy and a positive impact on our resident’s overall health.

Both our staff and residents look forward to the regular monthly visits from Kitchi the cat and the Golden Doodles, Kasha and Bow Ties. It’s also a treat when Lea from our Recreation department stops by with her dogs, Zayda and Saucalita. Many of our residents are big animal lovers and we realize this is an important part of their care. Our pet visits contribute to the overall health and happiness of our residents.

The benefits of pet therapy have also been recognized by the scientific community. UCLA Health shares that not only do animals help to reduce anxiety and loneliness, they also increase mental stimulation, benefitting those with memory issues or who have been impacted by diseases like Alzheimer’s. Pet therapy can also help to lower blood pressure, improve cardiovascular health, and in some cases reduce overall pain.

Concord residents and staff can certainly agree with the fact that petting an animal makes them happy! That’s because it releases hormones like serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin which are known to improve mood and help people relax. The smiles on their faces when Kitchi, Kasha, Bow Ties, Zayda and Saucalita come to visit say it all!