February Virtual PACE Talk Will Explore Health Benefits of the Human-Animal Bond

PACE virtual event with Dr. Janet Hoy-Gerlach

This February, the Northumberland PACE Talk series will continue for the 2021-22 season with a discussion exploring the impact animals can have on one’s health and well-being during a Pets and Wellness discussion. This talk will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, February 16 at 5:30 PM led by Dr. Janet Hoy-Gerlach, an expert on the health benefits of the human-animal bond. Owning a pet is not a requirement to attend, but those with pets are welcome to have them join alongside them on this virtual call.

A professor at the University of Toledo, Dr. Hoy-Gerlach has over 20 years of experience in community mental health service delivery. She has focused her research on understanding the bonds between people and animals and is an advocate for recognizing and incorporating these bonds within social work, health, and wellness practices.

During this informative talk, Dr. Hoy-Gerlach will explore how animals and pets can be partners in one’s health and well-being and will touch on how an awareness of the relationship people have with animals can be leveraged by both physical and mental healthcare providers. She will share tips for being more intentional at incorporating pets in one’s wellness journey, and highlight ways to maximize benefits for both humans and animals.

Beginning in 2018, The Northumberland PACE talks have been hosted as free public education sessions on a broad range of health and wellness topics and have consistently drawn large groups of community members with a range of questions and perspectives. Like many other events, The Northumberland PACE Talk series adapted to a new, virtual format as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lasting an hour in length, each PACE event consists of a 30-minute talk, a 20-minute question-and-answer period with the guest speaker(s) and a short moderator summary. Virtual PACE Talks will follow this same format.

Bring your questions, your suggestions, and your experience and join in what is expected to be another informative discussion.

Pre-registration is required and space is limited to the first 300 registered attendees. This event will be hosted through Zoom, and attendees are asked to login to the event 5 minutes prior to the start. Register for Pets and Wellness today at www.pacetalks.com, where you’ll also find video and highlights from many of the previous seasons’ talks. For those unable to attend, efforts will be made to share a recording of this conversation following the event, technology permitting.

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