‘“He means the world to me”: human implications of separating older people from their pets in residential care/nursing homes.’

Our project investigated the implications of separating older people from companion animal(s) when they move to a residential care home or other care setting. It sought to critically examine current policies in case and what these mean in practice for the well-being of the older person and their companion animal(s), as well as for care home staff, relevant professionals and charities working in the field.

A key aim was to explore the lived experience of older people making this transition when they have companion animals. To address this we interviewed care home residents, their families and staff caring for them, as well professionals (social workers, lawyers, vets etc) and representatives of charities involved in the issue. A further aim was to examine the legal implications of current policies and to explore potential legal remedies or reforms that can better accommodate competing interests.