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Improving customer experience for elderly clients
Many older people chose to keep a pet for companionship.
Cx Congress highlights available services 

Many older people chose to keep a pet for companionship, particularly if they live on their own or do not have regular contact with their family. In an informative session at Cx Congress (17 June), Age UK’s Maria Cooke spoke about how veterinary practices can improve the customer experience for senior clients and listed some of the services that are available to them.

Senior manager Maria began the session by looking at some of the benefits pets can bring to older people. With rapid advances in communication, she noted that opportunities for a little personal contact are being lost. This is hitting the elderly population hard. Most people meet their friends through the workplace or their children, she said, but once we retire, there is no longer that common link.

This is why so many people chose to get a pet in later life. Pets give elderly people the opportunity to get out and interact with other dog walkers. As such, they are less likely to suffer feelings of isolation and loneliness. Pets are also great for health, encouraging their owners to take some exercise and get some fresh air.

Good communication is key to building client communication, but Maria stressed that veterinary practices might need to go that extra mile to help older clients avoid an over-dependent relationship with their pet. For example, a person who is dependent on their pet may suffer depression when the animal dies. One way that practices can help with this is to a host a regular OAP’s tea party, where clients can bring along their pooch and meet other elderly people in a similar situation.

Costly vets bills can also be a huge worry for those elderly people living on a tight budget, especially if their animal is not insured. Maria noted that veterinary practices can help here by offering senior clients a discount - 15 per cent off consultations, for example. Maria also recommends making clients aware of Turn2Us - a charity that helps people in financial hardship gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and support services.

Another way practices can help older clients is to direct them to The Cinnamon Trust - a national charity for the elderly and their pets. The Trust has a network of over 15,000 community service volunteers who provide practical help when any aspect of day-to-day care becomes a problem - for example, walking the dog for a housebound owner.

The Cinnamon Trust provides a fostering service for pets whose owners face a spell in hospital. It also gives long-term care for pets whose owners have died or moved to residential accommodation which will not accept pets. 

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.