"Animals not only feel affection,
but they want to be loved"
- Charles Robert Darwin
The Projects
INVISIBLE BOND IN HOSPICE 2026
INVISIBLE BOND IN HOME HOSPICES
CAT & CHILDREN
IST PROJECT
Individual Cat-Assisted Intervention Project (AAA)
This project uses interaction with the cats Mahè and Maui to improve patients' emotional well-being, reducing anxiety and loneliness. The activities include sensory activities (petting and purring), relaxation, observation and care of the cat, and sharing stories. The overall goal is to bring comfort, serenity, and meaningful moments to patients and their families.
Duration of single meeting:
15 minutes per patient.
Facility: Hospice Gigi Ghirotti Bolzaneto and Albaro
The project offers home-based Animal Assisted Activities (AAA), with Mahe', to promote the well-being of vulnerable individuals, bedridden or in palliative care, while respecting their time and space. A qualified team (AAA coordinator, assistant, experienced veterinarian, and healthcare workers) assesses the patient's environment, hygiene, and condition before each intervention, adapting the activities based on the patient's physical and emotional condition. The overall goal is to reduce anxiety and isolation, fostering connection, memory, and serenity through the sessions.
Duration of each meeting: 40 minutes.
The AAA "Cat & Children" project offers monthly visits with a certified cat (Digital Pet) to children hospitalized in pediatric wards, with individual or small group sessions (maximum 3 children), to promote emotional well-being and reduce anxiety. Activities include gentle touch, light play, guided reading, art therapy, and quiet time, always respecting the child and the animal's time, while also teaching young patients to recognize and respect cat language.
Duration of each meeting: 45 minutes.
The Animal Assisted Interventions project was carried out at the Oncology department of the IST of the San Martino Polyclinic Hospital in Genoa with the participation of the dog Freccia, certified for Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) supported by his assistant and the cat Mahe' certified for AAI and her assistant.
The activity took place twice a month for a year, involving hospitalized cancer patients through individualized interventions, always agreed upon with the healthcare team.
The project has received excellent feedback from patients, families, and healthcare professionals. The sessions have fostered moments of serenity, reduced anxiety and stress, improved mood, and improved relationships with healthcare professionals, helping to make the treatment journey more humane and welcoming.
The experience confirmed the value of Animal Assisted Interventions as a complementary support to oncology care, thanks to full collaboration with the IST team and with full respect for the well-being of the dog Freccia and the cat Mahe'.
