Based on the demographic research of the Harlem neighborhood and New York, the elderly problem is getting serious. So is the psychological health status. Nearly one in six New Yorkers was 65 and over, representing 16 percent of the total population. Older people may experience life stressors that are more common in later life and are more likely to experience events such as bereavement, or a drop in socio-economic status with retirement. All of these stressors can lead to isolation, loneliness or psychological distress.
There are versatile factors for the depression of the elderly in community. One of the solutions to alleviate elderly mental problem is to recover social responsibilities, re-joining and interacting with the community. Given the fact that animal-assisted therapy has been widely proven to be one of the most successful psychological treatments, this project can not only allow the elderly to make contributions to the community and saving animals, but also provide more opportunities for themselves to regain passion for life.