Djur i särskilt boende : - en undersökning av ledningens medvetenhet och beredskap kring samt hantering av djur i särskilt boende i en kommun.

Today older people’s health and life quality are current topics of conversation in society. The number of old people is increasing and their health is deteriorating, that is why there is a need of new ways of meeting their necessities. In this study we have tried to illustrate heads of districts reasoning concerning pets’ significance for old people in special housing. The purpose of the study is to investigate the management’s awareness and preparedness around and also management of pets in special housing in a county. We have also had a look at the practical work with pets in special housing. The material in the study comes from qualitative interviews. One geriatric care manager and six heads of districts with the responsibility of special housing for old people under municipal management have been interviewed. In our interpretation we have used Brülde’s theory (2003) of life quality called “a mixed theory of happy character”. Brülde combines elements from hedonism, the theory of fulfillment of wishes and from the objective pluralism to make his own theory. The result from the study shows that all heads of districts are positive to have pets in special housing and that all special housing has or has had pets in some form. The contact with pets gives many old people a better life quality with happiness, an increased well-being and decreases the sense of loneliness