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French Museum Reports Theft of Arty Banana
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Culture & Society

French Museum Reports Theft of Arty Banana

From Asharq Al-Awsat · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • A French psychiatric hospital is using therapy donkeys to help patients recover from mental health conditions.
  • The unique program, located outside Paris, pairs patients with donkeys for walks and care, offering a calming alternative to traditional treatment.
  • Patients report significant benefits, including reduced loneliness, a break from treatment routines, and emotional relief, describing the donkeys as "animal medicine."

In a unique initiative in France, therapy donkeys are providing a novel form of mental health treatment at a psychiatric hospital unit near Paris. Set within the Ville-Evrard hospital complex in Neuilly-sur-Marne, the program utilizes 19th-century farm buildings and wooded grounds as a tranquil environment for patient recovery.

When you take medication that helps you relax ... it’s exactly the same. I’d call it animal medicine. It brings relief. You stop thinking about everything else.

— NathalieA 60-year-old patient describing the therapeutic effects of interacting with the donkeys.

Patients engage directly with five donkeys, Nono, Pitou, Oscar, Manolo, and Malraux, participating in walks and daily care. This hands-on interaction allows them to build familiarity with the animals' personalities and routines. Many find the experience deeply therapeutic, with one patient, Nathalie, 60, comparing the calming effect to medication and calling it "animal medicine" that brings relief and allows a respite from constant worries.

At first, she wouldn’t get out of the cart (provided for people with physical difficulties). But little by little, with encouragement, she did. The animal serves as a mediator. It’s such an extraordinary one that today she was able to leave the cart and stand beside her donkey.

— Audrey SeffarA nurse at the animal therapy unit discussing a patient's progress with the help of a donkey.

Audrey Seffar, a nurse at the unit, highlighted the significant progress observed in patients like Nathalie, who initially struggled to leave a mobility cart but gradually gained confidence with the donkey's presence. Seffar explained that the animal acts as a "mediator," facilitating breakthroughs in patient engagement and mobility. Another patient, Jérôme, 52, noted that the program combats loneliness and helps him integrate into daily life by encouraging activities he wouldn't normally pursue.

It helps you break away from the routine of treatment and medication. Staying at home isn’t good for me.

— JérômeA 52-year-old patient explaining how the program helps him manage his daily life and treatment.

The animal therapy program, initiated in 2016 by Ermelinda and François Hadey, was founded on the belief in donkeys' calm and social nature. François Hadey, who trained the donkeys for therapy work, described them as intelligent, calm, and serene animals that connect well with patients, acting as "emotional sponges." Since 2022, the program has gained official status as a healthcare unit, expanding to include other small animals and offering tailored sessions. The initiative is funded by France's public health system, making participation free for patients.

A donkey is very intelligent. It understands things very quickly, but you have to explain slowly. Donkeys are calm, serene animals that are generally close to people. Once they’re involved in these interactions, they connect very well with patients. They’re emotional sponges.

— François HadeyCo-founder of the donkey therapy program describing the animals' suitability for therapeutic work.
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Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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