Sweet Therapy Alpacas Visit Nursing Home and Instantly Lift Residents’ Spirits

The role of service and therapy animals continue to grow as people learn the powerful impact that contact and cooperation with other species can have on people. Dogs are helping kids who struggle with literacy. Horses are helping people regulate strong emotions. And in this unusual instance, a pack of therapy alpacas are brightening up seniors’ lives in a nursing home.

Paddy and Oscar are a pair of Alpacas living in Ireland who work as therapy animals, visiting children and adults with illnesses or special needs. “Alpacas are particularly suitable as therapy animals,” the alpacas’ keeper claims on their website. “We love our therapy work and are constantly amazed at the results. The alpacas have a sixth sense which is evident by they way they react to different people and situations. Working with alpacas has proven to improve both mental health and physical health.”

If you say so. I admit I’m curious about the mental health and stress levels of the staff on that floor, watching livestock traipse through their hallways. Are alpacas house trained?

I have to admit they are cute, though. I may get cheered up by a visit from a farm animal if it’s as adorable as that one.

An Alpaca Therapy Visit

Paddy and Oscar have visited this particular care home so many times that they even know the way, walking freely down the hall without a lead or leash of any kind, as if they, too, are excited for their session.

Their visits to nursing homes like these usually last a bit over an hour, and they are able to meet the majority of the patients by swinging through the common area. But sometimes the people can’t make it out to visit the alpacas, and they stop by individual rooms. The docile, easy-going animals

Staff at this nursing home report that the visits are beneficial to residents with depression and dementia, and that even residents who refuse normal visitors have come out to say hello to their alpaca friends.

The alpacas are available for petting and even selfies. All in all, it’s a busy day.

All About Alpacas

Alpacas are a small, domesticated species of South American livestock, related to both llamas and camels. They have been part of agricultural life in South America for thousands of years, and remain very popular on their home continent as well as the world over as livestock, prized for their soft fleece. Though primarily kept for the fiber they produce, like sheep and their wool, they can also be used for meat.

They are also widely appreciated as companion animals, as seen here.

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