Can I Take a Pet into a Care Home?

"Two thirds of UK elderly pet owners have said that they would be 'devastated' if they had to give up their pet to go into care"

We have great news! Moving into a care facility doesn't mean you have to say goodbye to your beloved pet. Many care homes are happy to welcome both you and your pet, allowing you to stay together and avoid the heartache of separation.

3 key benefits of having a pet for the elderly

Support

For older individuals who may have difficulty hearing or seeing, having a support dog can be incredibly beneficial. These dogs are trained to assist with important tasks, such as opening doors. Additionally, there are dogs specifically trained to help those with health conditions like diabetes; they can sense when a person's blood sugar levels are too high or too low, making them invaluable companions.

Companionship

Many people consider their pets to be family members or best friends. As individuals age and experience the loss of friends, a furry companion can help alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation. In the UK, around 1.9 million older adults suffer from loneliness, which can have severe health implications, comparable to the effects of smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Comfort

Having a pet can provide older individuals with a sense of purpose and help establish a daily routine through activities like feeding and exercising them. Research shows that stroking a pet can relieve stress and increase the production of endorphins. A pet’s calming presence can offer great comfort, especially during the transition into a care home.

How do I choose a pet-friendly Care Home?

We highly recommend visiting the care homes you are considering and discussing your plans to bring your pet with the management team. This will help you determine if both you and your pet would be happy living there. You can also get a better understanding of the home's attitude towards pets and whether they are allowed to roam freely.

To simplify the search for pet-friendly care homes, you can use TrustedCare’s online directory to find your preferred care type in your chosen location, then refine the search results to those that allow ‘pets by arrangement’.

It's important for the care home to ensure that your pet will have a good quality of life if they agree to let them move in with you.

If you have a dog, pay special attention to the outdoor areas during your visit to see if there is enough space for your dog to run around and relieve themselves.

Additionally, if your pet becomes unwell, you'll want to know what level of support the care home can provide in such situations. Be sure to ask about this before making your decision.

Will care home's have pet guidelines that need to be met?

Each care home has different practices when it comes to accepting pets. Some may be very relaxed, while others may have strict guidelines, such as confining pets to certain areas of the home.

Here are some common guidelines you may encounter:

• The home may only accept pets of a specific size
• You may be required to cover the costs for pet food and other expenses
• You may need to be responsible for caring for your pet yourself, including walking and feeding
• Pets that are likely to cause a nuisance to other residents may not be allowed

How can I take care of my pet if my care needs increase?

If you have taken your pet to a pet-friendly care home, but you need more support in taking care of them, a charity called The Cinnamon Trust may be able to help you.

The Cinnamon Trust is the only national charity providing pet assistance to older people and those terminally ill, helping owners enjoy the full benefits of pet ownership, whilst assisting them with the day-to-day care of their companion. With the help of a nationwide network of over 20,000 compassionate volunteers, they can help you with hands-on support such as dog walking, cat care, bird cage cleaning and transporting pets to the vet; as well as offering you the peace of mind about the future of your pet.

You can speak to one of their friendly staff by calling 01736 757 900.

What if I can't find anywhere nearby that will accept my pet?

In the unfortunate event that you cannot find a nursing home in your area that welcomes both you and your pet, The Cinnamon Trust may be able to help.

The Trust offers a “Pet Profiling” service for owners who want to secure lifelong care for their companions.

During the Profiling process, owners share important information about their pet’s routine, medical needs, diet, and the little things, such as nicknames. This allows The Trust to understand the true character of every companion as deeply as their owner does. It ensures that when the time comes that you can no longer care for your pets, they know exactly what to do to make the transition into forever care as easy and as stress-free as possible for your companion.

The Trust does not rely on kennels or catteries, and will always give the pet a home-like environment. Depending on your pet’s age and medical needs, care will be provided either in one of their two purpose-built home-from-home sanctuaries or in a forever foster home.

Every foster home is carefully selected to ensure compatibility between the pet and the new forever fosterer, making it a safe and nurturing process for all. The Cinnamon Trust always stays in touch with their forever fosterers, offering ongoing support as they lovingly care for their new companion

All arrangements need to be made well in advance and can only be made by an owner.

If The Cinnamon Trust cannot help, the team will be able to advise you based on your circumstances.

Pet-friendly Care Providers:

All 22 of Hallmark Care Homes' care homes are pet-friendly! They are located across the UK in the following counties: Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, East Sussex, Essex, Kent, London, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Suffolk, Surrey, Wales, Warwickshire, and West Sussex.

Patricia Stevens, resident of Hallmark's Hutton View Care Home, shares her thoughts about her dog, Charlie, who lives with her at the home: 'Charlie means the world to me, absolute world. Couldn't be without him.'. She goes on to say, 'I've had dogs all my life, right back from when I was a child. It's the company; you've got company 24 hours a day with him. I wouldn't have come here if they didn't take dogs, and that was definite.'.

Louise Baxter, the Home Manager, remarks, 'If I was going into a care home and somebody said to me I had to not bring my pet with me, I would feel that as such a loss. I may feel that I've lost something anyway coming into care and being able to bring your pet into the care home means that we're really looking at the person as a whole. It's given new energy to lots of our residents.'.

If you need help finding a care home for yourself and your pet, please reach out to TrustedCare today. Our Care Advisers will be happy to provide you with a list of nearby pet-friendly care homes!