Llamas and alpacas help older residents connect at Vaasa care home

Llamas and alpacas are bringing comfort and encouraging interaction among residents at Kotiranta, a care home in Vaasa, Yle reports. Entrepreneur Anna Salmi has made animal-assisted visits to care homes for more than 10 years.

During a recent visit, Darra the alpaca and Luke the llama walked through the home as residents reached out to pet them. One resident in a wheelchair smiled as she stroked Darra’s soft coat.

The animals come from Aava Kerttu’s farm in Mustasaari. Salmi says they can adapt to different people and situations, though individual animals vary. Luke is suited to more active visits, while the calmer Darra is a better match for quieter settings.

Alpacas and llamas also tend to give people space rather than pushing in for attention. Salmi recalled a visit to a care home the day before the interview, when a blind man was able to pet and hug the animals. “It was hard to get him to stop. He was really happy,” she said.

Kotiranta unit manager Kirsi Vapaavuori-Koskela said residents and staff look forward to the visits, and their effects last after the animals leave. Residents become more engaged and remember the visit for a long time, she said. For people with memory disorders, touching and stroking an animal can also bring out words they might otherwise not say.

Resident Else-Maj Hatanmaa said she hoped the llamas would return. “They are so calm. You can pat them, and they look nice,” she said.

Care home activities coordinator Katriina Leinonen said residents respond in different ways: some are a little afraid, while others want to pet the animals straight away. She said the animals meet people as equals, without regard to whether they are sick or healthy.

Marjaana Raukola-Lindblom, a clinical lecturer and researcher at the University of Turku, said communication with animals often relies more on body language than speech. She said animal visits can encourage older people who rarely speak to start talking. The most important thing is that both the person and the animal can choose how close to get and whether to make contact.

Research has found that an animal’s presence can have a calming effect, while touch and closeness can offer comfort and support. Raukola-Lindblom said animal visits provide an opportunity for reciprocal interaction that differs from other activities.