• In short: There are concerns older people are risking their health to stay with pets, as most aged care homes do not allow them
• What’s next? Efforts have begun to educate and encourage more providers to change their policies because of the health benefits

Rolf Gericke would rather die than be forced to part with his cats if he needs to move into an aged care facility.

The 78-year-old has been living on his own with his four cats in Tasmania’s south since his wife died a few years ago.

“I’d rather die than move into an aged care home without them,” Mr Gericke said.

There are no aged care providers in his home state that will take him with his cats. 

It’s part of a wider problem — only one in five aged care homes in Australia will consider allowing pets, according to the Companion Animal Network Australia (CANA).

CANA chief executive Trish Ennis says 86 per cent of people with pets in aged care settings experience improved mental and physical health. 

“If you can imagine moving into residential care anyway you’re giving up your house you’re giving up everything to fit in one room,” she said.

“It’s a very depressing, hard time to go through, but to give up your best friend and companion along with that, and god knows where that pet’s going to go.”

Mr Gericke has some health issues and receives a check-in call.

“I get the Red Cross call every morning whether I’m still alive.”

Pets too high-risk for some

Aged care homes are faced with many tough issues, and deciding whether or not to have pets is normally a case-by-case task with most denied. 

Glen Hardwick, chief executive of Christian Homes Tasmania, says that pets are not allowed because the risk to residents and staff is too high. 

“It’s a lot more complex because of the frailty of the individuals as they deteriorate in their ageing process,” he said.

“[There are] multiple reasons about hygiene, looking after the pet, litter trays, the smell, the residents walking the halls without any trip hazards.”

While residents in Tasmanian residential care are not allowed to own pets, four-legged creatures walk the halls often as part of pet therapy.

One carer even brings in a sheep which walks the halls and only sometimes leaves behind little messes.

“The interaction with the residents is very clearly to their benefit both emotionally and physically,” Mr Hardwick said.

A budgie owned by Debra Turnbull is the only residential animal so far allowed by Christian Homes.

“It makes it a bit more homey,” she said.

Pets embraced interstate 

In Victoria, a group of aged care homes not only allows pets, but encourages people to bring their pets with them.

“At the moment across our four homes we have eight to 10 pets … it ebbs and flows depending on the resident population,” said Lifeview chief executive Samatha Jewell.

There are a few rules to having a pet, including having leads when outside the bedroom and having a family or a representative agree to take it in an emergency.

“The resident must be able to care for that pet because our staff aren’t there to care for pets, they’ve got plenty on their plates,” Ms Jewell said.

“The family and the representative … must agree to assist and to take that pet home because we don’t want any pet dumping.”

Ms Jewell says she has noticed a significant difference when a resident brings in their pet. 

“They settle in quicker … remain more independent because you’re still caring for that pet so you do get up to feed it or walk the dog,” she said.

Ms Jewell has worked closely with CANA’s Trish Ennis to incorporate pets into aged care homes safely and to educate other providers on their policies and procedures.

“A major problem a lot of the residential care places have is a lack of education,” Ms Ennis said.

Rolf Gericke hopes that more aged care facilities will consider pets.

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