Llamas Bring Happiness to Nursing Home | National Geographic

Nursing home residents delight in their llama visitor.
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The first thing you see when driving up to the Life Center of Nashoba Valley, a nursing home in Massachusetts, is a pair of llamas. Around the country, homes like this are using animals-chickens and llamas as well as dogs and fish-in their therapy programs, brightening up their residents' days. Travis the llama is the star at Nashoba Valley, ambling through the hallways every few weeks and ""giving kisses."" The rest of his time is spent with the other llama, VJ, in a large pasture, where residents can return the animals' visits with their families or on their own.
Animal-therapy programs are said to decrease agitation in many nursing home residents and to increase participation. The animals are sometimes able to bring the residents out of their shells in ways that previously seemed impossible.
PRODUCER: Gabriella Garcia-Pardo
Llamas Bring Happiness to Nursing Home | National Geographic
• Llamas Bring Happiness...
National Geographic
/ natgeo

[@jayjenkins5160]

Today i was having a terrible morning until seeing this video. It brought a smile to both my face and my heart. Animals are so precious. Thank you

[@MaZEEZaM]

Wonderful people who do this type of work, animals in hospitals or other care institutions make such a difference 🐮

[@aaronbeauchamp3312]

I worked in convalescent homes for years, and a majority of them were elderly. Anything that we can do to make the elderly feel like they are still cared for, and that there is life? I am all for it. This is awesome.

[@VintageVera1]

The people just come back alive when they see the llama. Wonderful.

[@whatsupguys6118]

That's the cutest thing I've ever seen love llamas

[@ellas683]

this is so adorable and I've always thought llamas were immensely cute

[@lmbarak]

Oh my gosh the llama's name is Travis. That is so freaking adorable!!!!!

[@amazingdany]

*May the higher powers bless all these happiness-bringing therapy animals and their handlers!*

[@phantasticdrago230]

Animals are so AMAZING!!!!!They are my life!!!

[@grytlappar]

Whenever I feel down and I hate everything, the one thing that still brings me joy is animals. They're simply amazing. Doggies in the street, my kitties being goofballs (zoomies). Animal therapy at hospitals-and nursing homes especially since the residents are there for so long-is truly a godsend. When I get a dog I'm totally going to do this... Plus, I'm getting an English bulldog, and they have such a... well, characteristic look! So I bet she will be a huge hit; almost (well) as much as a llama! :)

[@phantasticdrago230]

grytlappar aww that's awesome, good on ya!!

[@DianaKazimiera-]

Animals is fantastic 💚👏👏👏

[@420keeneg9]

This is so beautiful, as an animal lover who has both mental issues and physical problems I can testify to to peace and love and calmness animals can bring especially in the darkest of moments these critters love shines through 😊 videos like these are the only thing that gives me hope in humanity

[@licksnkicks]

So kind and an amazing thing to do for these seniors! I cried! Couldn't help it!

[@Hirakiplay]

Nature is powerful!!!!

[@utopianear700]

they should step up their game. An elephant would be way cooler.

[@ljones1377]

Utopia Near loooool

[@GuillermoNarvaez]

Have you ever seen the droppings? I’ll stick with llamas.... not as large or sticky.

[@GrnXnham]

How about a honey badger?

[@MexiPanda]

Llamas are the real unicorns!

[@llamalover02]

Llama pets are so good for the soul :)

[@GothNebula]

I've never seen llamas come into buildings. But that is true, any animal can bring happiness to humans. Even some wild animals can too. :)

[@mannynsour4040]

How does someone not like this

[@wuffy.2070]

Twaimz Should Be Proud Of This Hospital😄

[@tidiestflyer7570]

Caaaarllllll! You ate all the residents hands Caaaarlllll!

[@zako9667]

Who the hell disliked this

[@hungrycheetah316]

+Zako An alpaca probably.

[@ioh1310]

+Hungrycheetah yas!

[@Mymovieworld1]

Don't forget Yzma.

[@RibbonVintageGirl]

Emily Rizzo Finally, Kuzco put the curse into a good cause

[@grytlappar]

Psychopaths. They're 2% of the population.

[@kylidre]

Ey! Wheres Pacha!? Kuzco needs him! BTW dat llama is Yzma

[@2eleven48]

I'm absolutely positive that animal therapy is profoundly useful to people in care homes and hospices, especially for those experiencing the later stages of dementia. Touch is one of the most significant senses in this situation (as is hearing, with music), when almost everything else is lost cognitively. All of this was true for my mother. I would sit with her and apply the hand cream by 'Youth Dew', her favourite scent, and stroke and soothe it in. She liked that, although by then she had entirely forgotten who I was. Robert, UK.

[@travis1190]

Perfect name for him!!

[@fragglesongs1478]

I love the elderly people

[@grayson4616]

This is amazing!

[@tinachandler3091]

There's this one home in TN that has about 10 cats in the facility.

[@zuhayrfoendoe5651]

So sweet

[@lindenhay9972]

Llama

[@bryanle7057]

awwww

[@darioildiario3001]

In Italy one hospital is experimenting allowing the pets in... ^_^

[@VidelaArg]

Viva el peru 🇵🇪🇵🇪

[@tanjafalkner-labitzke6896]

Thats so cute wen im older I want that too

[@llamagr1]

I WANT A LLAMA IN MY HOUSE!!!!!! >:(

[@ratatataraxia]

Yes!

[@giizu-9293]

That's cute

[@davewarner12010]

Very nice...

[@Lol-tw4wf]

Aww granmamas

[@fragglesongs1478]

That's so nice

[@welshpete12]

well done , made my day ! :-)

[@PigSty1985]

TRAVIS!

[@SophiaCafy]

Where is twaimz

[@hannah-xe7ns]

I was just about to say that!!

[@blackpprs1893]

I wanna start this

[@sudokunani9318]

WHY LLAMAS R THE BEST

[@anujpatel1603]

It's a llama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@chiCanaaa]

💓💗💞

[@nooreemurtuza2090]

this is so sweet awe. (9th comment ah)

[@gracida6]

you're a special kind of stupid

[@DeathSniper54]

+gracida6 no need to get rude.

[@nooreemurtuza2090]

+DeathSniper54 thank you x

[@nooreemurtuza2090]

+gracida6 woah

[@Jake-gw6yg]

Bring in a sloth

[@jsb6231]

Carl!!!! That kills people

[@deanouellette1868]

Llamas rule.

[@iMareisha]

TWAIMZ WHERE ARE YOU??

[@ethanlane5317]

Some people are allergic but if there's a completely separate section where they can be away from the animals then it's fine

[@BCElginTex]

Llamas can mess you up.

[@grytlappar]

Nah... What's a little spit? :)

[@WesternkindUnited]

I'd be worried about dementia patients picking up and eating the lamas shit thinking it is some delicious liquorish candy

[@themorningstar3353]

We don't deserve animals. Once we humans are gone from this earth, they will live in perfect harmony with nature for eternity.

[@laquitagilmer5656]

It’s all a blessing until they spit in your face. 👀

[@RibbonVintageGirl]

My future

[@timothyloayza6789]

Kuzco

[@fragglesongs1478]

FACT the oldest person who ever lived on record was french woman Jeanne lousie calment she lived in Arles France all her life she was born in 1875 and died in 1997 she was the oldest verified person in the world

[@fragglesongs1478]

She was 122 years old making her the oldest person ever she broke a lot of records as the oldest person who ever lived

[@525Lines]

They should have cats.

[@infi2723]

why people dislike

[@meepmeep891]

a fucking llama lmao

[@atreju305]

That's why the world should go vegan. Animals are magical. They are love.

[@zedek_]

+Klara Christine Don't overdo it now. They can also be cruel and callous. Unless you find it magical when an orca flings around the seal it caught, while it's still alive, tormenting the seal until it finally eats it. I suppose that _is_ fairly majestic. Or when a male bear beats a mother bear and consumes her children so that she will go into heat again and he can mate with her. Magical love.

[@TheRealFallenAngel]

+Klara Christine animals eat animals. so only some of them are magical by your theory

[@grytlappar]

+Zedek - Are they any crueler than we are? I would say no. They hunt to eat-and then they're done. What about us, who want our meat cheaper and cheaper (I remember when I was growing up in the 70's, a roasted chicken was a Sunday dinner!), meaning we abuse the animals in their tiny cages where they step on each other and can't even turn around. And we do this for greed, by calculation, intelligent animals that we are. You'd think we'd at least have the decency to treat the animals well before we kill them. But noo... So who is worse? There's no competition. We are.

[@grytlappar]

PS. You're a moron.

[@zedek_]

The question of who is worse is completely irrelevant to the discussion at hand. -The initial premise was that animals are magical. That they are *love*. -My response was "don't overdo it now," and pointing out that they can be cruel. Not just amoral with regards to their survival, but actively cruel. Your comment has no bearing on anything I've said. _"They hunt to eat-and then they're done. "_ Objectively and demonstrably untrue. "Surplus killing" is a fact of life with many carnivores; including wolves, bears, leopards, coyotes, etc. Additionally, on a _related_ note, animals kill each other constantly without any intention of eating the meat. In many species, among mammals of all stripes, the males will try to kill the offspring of other males; some examples include zebras, bears, orangutans. Cassowaries are some of the most aggressive animals in the world, and will avidly chase, or hunt down, and kill any somewhat large animal it sees in its territory, despite being herbaceous. Hippos are also notorious for this. I'll refrain from sophomoric insults. You have a good day.

[@ioh1310]

Am I the only one who's wondering how they take care of all the poop

[@missionpurity]

No. haha

[@MrBear-dd9ru]

+cptobvious64 because of nature animals eat meat

[@aliAkbarTV]

First

[@_jenaissante_]

3rd