Sunshine Canines

Our “Sunshine Canines” Programme is especially for seniors! This programme brings our canine teams to hospitals, senior day care centres, facilities, or nursing homes. Many seniors experience feelings of isolation and loneliness, all of which have been exacerbated by the pandemic. 

Research has shown that canine assisted interventions for seniors can help to reduce depressive symptoms, anxiety, loneliness, improve their moods and overall client/patient experience. These benefits extend to staff, nurses and caretakers within the facility, and in turn help to build better rapport with those they care for. 

As seniors tend to be more fragile, the dogs selected for this programme will have a calm disposition with lower energy levels. 

Programme Options

Free and easy sessions – Seniors will interact freely with our canine teams, for the purpose of general mood elevation and stress relief.

Structured sessions – We will work with you to develop a programme for seniors with specific outcomes and activities in mind e.g. physical rehabilitation.

Duration

You may book a session for up to 90 minutes.

Price

Please reach out to us at info@aai.sg for more information on our pricing structure.

FAQS
Many of our seniors are of vulnerable health status, how does aaisg ensure their health and safety?

We comply with international guidelines on safeguarding the health of individuals in healthcare settings where animals are involved. In particular, we comply with guidelines from the  Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), International Association of Human-Animal Interactions Organizations (IAHAIO) etc. 

Our handlers are also equipped with knowledge and best practices in this area, and all seniors are required to wash their hands with soap and water, or use hand santiser, before and after each session.  

It is also important to note that psychological wellbeing is critical for physical recovery, and that improvement in mood and wellbeing of seniors may outweigh the low risks associated with having dogs in healthcare facilities, especially with our risk management measures in place! 

What happens during a session?

Generally, each session will take place in a common area of your facility, where one of our aaisg canine teams will interact with the seniors through activities such as petting, grooming, tricks, or other games. Handlers are trained on how to interact with seniors, and to create meaningful conversations and relationships with them over time. Our dogs will naturally help to facilitate conversation and connection between individuals. 

How long does each session last?

Each session may last up to 90 minutes, including the time required to set up and pack up. This is so as to protect the welfare of our dogs involved in the programme. 

How long will it take for you to confirm my session?

Once we have received your request for a session, we will try our best to reply to you within 2 working days. We try to finalise the number of teams 2 weeks prior to the session. 

Can you meet our requirements for each session?

Once we receive your request for a session, we will get in touch with you to discuss the details, such as the venue, number of participants and any other special requests. Please note that we are legally required to comply with the latest COVID-19 measures.

How much notice do I need to give prior to each session?

While we would appreciate at least 4 weeks notice, we will try our best to accommodate your requests. 

What if some of the seniors are allergic to dogs?

The activities would take place in a common area of your facility, which may be indoors or outdoors. Our activities run on an opt in basis, and individuals allergic to dogs are not encouraged to participate in our programme. We have also had seniors who did not wish to interact directly with the dogs, but were happy to observe the dogs interacting with other individuals.

Will the dogs make a mess of the place?

Prior to each session, the dogs will be walked, and relieved. Handlers will also observe their dogs to see if they require a toilet break during the session. Furthermore, the dogs are showered not more than 24 hours prior to each session, and are up to date on their vaccinations and parasite prevention treatments. 

Does aaisg have public liability insurance

Yes we do. 

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