Felinoterapie, NCHK

Methodology of on-line Felinotherapy 

Prepared by:

Nezávislý chovatelský klub - Independent Breeders Club
                   Daniela Hypšová
                   Havlíčkova 590/5
                   293 01 Mladá Boleslav
 
Content:
The importance of activation and presence of pets for human health
Felinotherapy online

The importance of the presence of pets for human health
  Man, a creature however dominating life on our planet at present, has never ceased to be part of nature. Animals have a significant place in his life. The role of prey, food or helper in many activities has been replaced by the urgent need for a friend who listens and does not judge.   

  
   The positive influence of the presence of and contact with an animal is used with proven results in activation, education, crisis intervention and therapeutically. Zootherapy (zoo-rehabilitation) has a tradition of more than forty years in the USA and for almost twenty years it has been encountered in various forms in the Czech Republic. It has a wide range of uses, including therapeutic and educational, but it is mostly used in the form of activation (AAA), especially for disabled people, children with learning disabilities, emotional problems or children with autism spectrum disorders. It can be found in social service facilities such as homes for the elderly or residential homes, and in many health care and educational institutions. 

The coronavirus pandemic in 2020, along with preventive measures, has brought about the need to respond to a situation where it is not possible to provide physical visits with animals to clients of facilities for a relatively long period of time, and at the same time, due to isolation, the need for social contact and attention increases in these clients.  Information technology has become standard in the education sector for on-line teaching and the same way of meeting clients with family members or handlers and their animals. Even in online zoo-rehabilitation, the animal has a role as a catalyst for interpersonal relationships.

 Activation programmes in various institutions, as well as in private life, are mainly aimed at improving the quality of life of people, meeting their needs, developing the preserved skills and abilities of, for example, the elderly or disabled. Activation activities promote physical and mental activity and thus have a positive impact on mental and physical well-being. At the same time, they also support and mediate the contact of clients with the social environment. Online rehabilitation fulfils these objectives.

 Felinotherapy 
   This is an established term for activation (AAA), therapy (AAT), education (AAE) or crisis intervention (AACR) carried out by a basic handler-cat team. The team members may also be subject matter experts (AAT, AAE. AAE who manage and work with the core intervention pair).
 
Felinotherapy online
This is an activation method where there is client - handler - cat (or cats) interaction on an online platform for a period of time.

Technical security
For the use of this method, technical security is required on the part of both the provider and the recipient. Laptops or desktops are used as standard, although tablets or smartphones can also be used in principle.  The advantage of using laptops or desktops is the larger screen area, which is particularly important for older clients.

The operating system of the provider and recipient devices must be compatible. On the recipient's side (facility or individual), the assistance of facility staff or a family member is required if the client is unable to operate the technical equipment themselves. This assistance is usually only necessary in the initial phase.  

In addition to a stable internet connection, a good quality audio transmission directly from the computer is also necessary. The Skype, Zoom, Teams platforms can be used. Most of the time they are sufficient in the non-paid version.Currently, there is experience with Zoom and Skype platforms, while Zoom offers even more interactive possibilities, such as the Annotate function on Whiteboard or breakout rooms, which we have not used yet. It is possible to use them for group work involving multiple handlers at the same time. For everyday use, Skype is sufficient.

Different types of microphones can be used for quality audio transmission, a good experience is with the Jabra Speak 410 or Jabra Speak 510 conference device. These microphones are also suitable for meetings where multiple clients are present, as they pick up wide bandwidth sound from across the room.

The camera, which is already a standard feature on newer computers, is only used at the beginning and end of the meeting for greetings and farewells. We share on the desktop where video, photos, crossword puzzles, quizzes or games prepared in various online applications are shared. 

Online game creation apps and game database

A database of games prepared for activation can be found at www.felinoterapie.estranky.cz in the On-line felinotherapy section. Games and quizzes for children can also be used for other age groups. 

These games are very popular and provide moments of relaxation between sharing videos or talking about photos, as well as allowing clients to experience success or revive forgotten memories. Games and quizzes are often prepared on the platforms of www.learningapps.org, www.wordwall.net and others. Some of these apps are chargeable from a certain amount of apps created , others are free.  The apps usually require a login, offer many different templates and designs to switch between. Instructions for some of them are also in English, the Czech keyboard can be used normally. The apps also offer the ability to incorporate photos and images, record audio and videos.

Other games can be found directly in the Community section at www.wordwall.net or in the shared quizzes at www.learningapps.org, both applications also include games and quizzes in other languages or from different fields. 

Use of videos and photos
It is possible to use the breeders and handlers own videos in which other breeders and handlers can participate, it is possible to create a video bank from which all handlers participating in the online activations or target facilities can choose. 

Introduction to activation and communication with clients 
We start the activation with the camera on and try to create a pleasant and relaxed environment at the beginning. We can check the sound and image quality with the client, and if necessary it is a good idea to explain to the client why and how we are doing these activities. In this way, we can better draw the client into the action. Of course, it is important to take into account the client's age, interests, and any disabilities or limitations. Interactive elements can also be used with children, e.g. putting on virtual "masks", setting up different virtual environments on the platform used, etc.  

A very important component of activation is communication with clients, non-violent and natural questioning of their opinions, experiences, observations, which helps to strengthen the client's sense of self-esteem, allows to experience success and build on the client's past. We can use elements of Dr. M. Rosenberg's Nonviolent Communication. The same principles apply to communication as for a regular visitation program - that is, first and foremost, we listen, do not evaluate, and do not argue with clients. Communication should be pleasant and natural.

Activation time
The activation time depends on the health and psychological state of the client and can range from 20 minutes to an hour or more. The general golden mean is 45 minutes of activation, which is the time when the client is still able to pay attention and is not too tired. The activities should be alternated - i.e. a warm-up activity to start, a shorter game to get the energy going, then for example watching a video with commentary and again interspersed with a shorter, more fun activity.  In general, alternate an activity that requires attention with a shorter activity that relaxes the client. It is important to have more games and quizzes in store, and if the client is not succeeding, offer an easier level at which to experience success. Depending on the cognitive abilities, we can also create together with the clients in the above mentioned apps or other forms of joint games on the theme of the posts we have watched together, it is also possible to encourage a movement component, especially in children.

Website
The websites of organisations with a similar focus are an excellent tool, where we can find photos of activities, photos of nature, animals or photos from online exhibitions on various topics. We only use photographs and materials that are publicly available or that we have permission to use.

Live camera feeds
We may also intersperse meetings with live camera inputs from our own cats - cat therapists, when the opportunity arises and they do not impinge on the cat's welfare or interesting guests may be invited.

End of the meeting
We always end the meeting in a positive frame of mind and can briefly summarise what we have talked about in a non-violent way. It is advisable to turn on the camera when saying goodbye.

Conclusion of the contract  
Online activation can also be provided to private individuals, but it is always advisable to conclude a contract or a service agreement which sets out important information. 
In particular, it should include :
    - details of the provider and the recipient
    - GDPR and confidentiality
    - the time and duration of the activation
    - the method of payment (free, chargeable)
    - how to resolve and remedy disputes
    - the duration of the contract
In the case of the provision of online activation for devices with which a written contract has already been concluded, the provision of the online service can be addressed by means of a numbered addendum or by verbal agreement.

In Mladá Boleslav 15 January 2021