Physiotherapy with Pink Assistants: “The Pig Is not the Therapist, but Me.“

Pigs in a nursing home – what are they doing there? They are assisting their owner Daan Vermeulen. He is a physiotherapist from the town Borken in Germany. When visiting nursing homes with dementia patients and children with disabilities his tame house pigs Felix (4) and Rudi (5) accompany him. Four years ago he discovered by chance that they can keep his patients on their toes.

REHACARE.de talked to the Dutchman by birth about reliable animal therapies, his bristly assistants and their instinctive aversion against butchers.

01/04/2011

Daan Vermeulen has unusual piggy
partners; © Vermeulen

REHACARE.de: Mr. Vermeulen, have you ever thought of working with pig assistants when you became a physiotherapist 30 years ago?

Daan Vermeulen: No. Certainly not. However, originally I wanted to become a veterinarian. My family and I actually wanted the pigs as pets because we always liked minipigs and I am allergic to cats. One day I took Felix with me to my office because otherwise he would have been alone at home. And suddenly my older patients went a bit crazy – in a positive way. Today the animals help me twice per week during my visits.


REHACARE.de: How do people react when they suddenly meet a pig?

Vermeulen: First they are surprised and then they mostly laugh. However, there are also defensive reactions. But I even prefer the last ones because I am able to educe something from these patients.


REHACARE.de: Why do especially dementia patients react so strongly to the pigs?

Vermeulen: I have asked myself this question for a long time, as well. I think, the pigs remind older people of earlier times – what is really important for dementia patients. Many of them once had pigs, they could be seen everywhere. By this way, they meet an animal which they probably have not seen since decades and the reunion mobilises them. The children only know pigs from books. Therefore, the animals are new and thrilling.

The older patients remember their "old friend" pig - this warms them up for physiotherapy; © Vermeulen

REHACARE.de: What happens in a therapy hour?

Vermeulen: The patients can brush the fur, for example, put a scarf on the animals’ necks or feed them with their hands. And they lift up cones which the pigs have thrown down before.


REHACARE.de: And what is this good for?

Vermeulen: It inspires people to keep moving. When they can feed the animals with walnuts, it is emotional for them since they can do something for the animals. And emotions are all-important for a therapist to be able to work. Otherwise, the patients are not motivated enough.

REHACARE.de: Why can you use your pigs as kind of therapeutic assistants?

Vermeulen: Pigs are very affectionate and very careful. They notice, for example, if somebody is suffering from spastic paralysis. They enduce things from the patients which other people could not do. This is special for animal therapy. Children often open up to them faster than to unknown people. Pigs also notice if somebody is too gushy or disrespectful. Once, Felix strictly refused to eat out of the hand of an older man in a wheelchair. I could not persuate him at all. Later I found out that the man once had been a butcher.

Felix and Rudi enjoy their lives as house-pigs;
© Vermeulen

REHACARE.de: Pigs are omnivores - are they not dangerous?

Vermeulen: My pigs are tame. Of course, theoretically they could also bite me to pieces – just like a dog could. This is why they must know that I am the boss. This only works if you are dominant and very strict. Therefore, for very small children they are not suitable as domestic animals.

REHACARE.de: You keep the animals in the house. Is this appropriate to this species?

Vermeulen: My pigs live a good life – much better than the 60 million pigs which are fattened and often do not see daylight. Moreover, Felix and Rudi have a compound in the garden where they can wallow just the way they want. The animals need fresh air, food, movement and little stress. At the veterinarian office I passed a training and an exam to treat the animals competently.

REHACARE.de: There are many offers for animal therapy. How do I know that I get a reliable one?

Vermeulen: There is no real security. As a patient I have to pay attention to the education of the therapist above all. The pig is not the therapist, but me. And I am a qualified physiotherapist who can handle his pig. The animal only helps me. Certificates are not always that meaningful. This is like with a doctor – one must find out whether he is a good one or not.

Daan Vermeulen knows that children are the biggest fans of his pigs; © Vermeulen

RREHACARE.de: How much is one therapy hour?

Vermeulen: I take 120 Euros for a meeting which lasts from 30 to 45 minutes. Additionally, there are travel costs. The German health insurance funds do not support the therapy with the pig financially. Hence, patients must bear the costs themselves.

REHACARE.de: Can you imagine not taking your pigs with you into the institutions anymore?

Vermeulen: No. Though I could offer therapies in the groups, Rudi and Felix help me very much. And in future I want to work with children even more. I think it is great how they react to the pigs. Once, a child which usually hardly speaks suddenly shouted: “Felix come here!“. This affects me very deeply.

The interview was conducted by Natascha Mörs.
REHACARE.de

- Click here for the German Homepage of Daan Vermeulen: www.vermeulen-therapie.de