Avian Assisted Intervention During Covid-19 Pandemic Restrictions

Abstract

Occupational Deprivation has been a present risk [ER1] for people in inpatient hospital settings such as Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic restrictions. Clients have described their days as “boring” and “unfulfilling.” Clients experiencing extended in-patient hospitalization, who already might experience great interruptions to their treasured roles, routines, and occupations, were further restricted from recreational and social opportunities usually present in those settings. This work describes the translation of the animal assisted intervention evidence base to an occupational therapy student-developed program at a SNF to address this deficit. A vibrant avian therapy partner gave moments of joy for clients whose activities were heavily restricted during widespread social isolation of the COVID-19 containment efforts. Connections to performance skills in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (AOTA, 2020). are discussed