CROSS CREEK AT LEE’S SUMMIT ASSISTED LIVING | MEMORY CARE recently welcomed a horse, four goats and a few chicks into their community for the day. This is the second year that Legacy HealthCare Services, their contracted therapy company, has brought animals to visit the residents.
Animal therapy is known to have amazing benefits for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, including helping treat anxiety and depression. While Cross Creek has a live-in therapy dog, Chumley, they believe that it is important for their residents to have new and different experiences. Laura Benefiel, the executive director at Cross Creek, said, “Just seeing them [the residents] smile and enjoy petting the animals was special. Some of them reminisced about when they had a farm and took care of the animals. It just made them feel good.”
For more information on types of animal therapy and benefits for dementia patients, check out this article from Verywell Health.
