During your next visit to a health center, specialized residence, or school, pay attention to the variety of professionals surrounding a person in need. Depending on the location, you will find nurses, caregivers, recreation therapists, physiotherapists, doctors, occupational therapists, psychoeducators, special education teachers, and many others. Each professional has their own methodologies, procedures, ways of thinking, and limitations. Each provides different and complementary assistance, but all work towards achieving the set objectives to help the patient in their journey. The diversity of professionals surrounding patients is therefore essential to effectively meet their needs.
Increasingly, the animal therapist is recognized for the professional help they provide to people in need. Indeed, reputable scientific studies have proven for several years that animal-assisted therapy has positive effects on various client groups. This is why requests for animal therapists to be an integral part of multidisciplinary teams are increasing. Thus, animal therapy services can be found in schools, hospitals, and several organizations assisting people in difficulty.
Also, as staff in various intervention settings are often overburdened to provide listening, sensory and/or cognitive stimulation, etc., to patients requiring this type of care, they call upon animal therapists. Furthermore, now professionally qualified and members of a corporation, animal therapists are meticulously supervised in their practice and are required to submit reports of their interventions. They must also have specialized insurance and can provide insurance receipts.
Constantly evolving, the practice of animal therapy is gaining momentum within various intervention settings, and the benefits it provides to patients are now recognized. This progression and recognition are largely due to a global and systemic understanding shared by management, professionals, and the public regarding the difficulties faced by certain client groups.
In summary, animal-assisted therapy brings a different and stimulating perspective to be integrated into a therapeutic intervention program for a patient in need.
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