For many elderly citizens, mental wellness is as fragile as it is vital. Loneliness, memory loss, and anxiety often sit quietly in the background of daily life. In South Africa, around 20% of aging adults experience chronic loneliness. Aware of these challenges, Xiaomi South Africa has engaged with older communities by bringing therapy dogs into the Flower Foundation Retirement Homes for residents living with Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
In recognition of World Mental Health Day on 10 October, this drive is part of Xiaomi’s PETriotism campaign, which also marks World Animal Month this October. PETriotism celebrates the unconditional love pets give, the loyalty and connection that make every moment captured on the Leica co-engineered Xiaomi 15T flagship smartphone unforgettable.
Partnering with Woodrock Animal Rescue’s Paws@Work mental health programme, Xiaomi South Africa introduced the elderly to therapy dogs specially trained for their gentle temperament. These companion animals provide comfort, affection, and support in settings such as hospitals, schools, and retirement homes. At Waverley Gardens Memory Care, the dogs transformed the atmosphere with warmth, laughter, and sparks of memory recall. The interaction not only offered companionship but also highlighted the healing power of pets and the importance of rescued animals.
As part of the visit, Xiaomi South Africa also gifted the home with dolls for dementia patients, as well as board and puzzle games to help keep minds active and engaged. These small acts of care complemented the presence of the therapy dogs, creating moments of joy and stimulation that residents could carry forward beyond the day itself.
“At Paws@Work, we often say it’s hard to measure the impact of pet therapy in numbers alone. What we witness daily is the transformation that happens in real time, people living with anxiety, loneliness, or memory loss lighting up at a gentle nudge or wagging tail”, says Jacqui Martheze, Paws@Work programme head.
“Smiles, laughter, calmness, and connection are the outcomes that define every session.” Jax continued,, stating how research supports this, showing that:
- Spending just 10 minutes interacting with a dog can significantly reduce cortisol levels, according to a 2019 study by Washington State University.
- The American Heart Association found that pet interaction can lower stress-related symptoms by up to 30 percent and help reduce feelings of loneliness and depression.
- Engaging with therapy animals can lower blood pressure and heart rate. A study published in Frontiers in Psychology found an average 10 percent decrease in blood pressure after a pet therapy session.
- Research into veterans with PTSD shows that pet therapy can reduce overall PTSD symptoms by up to 43 percent and improve day-to-day functioning.
With the Xiaomi 15T in hand, those moments were captured in striking clarity: a resident’s hand gently resting on a dog’s head, puppy eyes lighting up at the touch of a wagging tail, and soft smiles breaking through silence. Each frame revealed comfort, companionship, and unconditional love, captured in time.
“Instead of chasing flashy lifestyles and influencer spotlights, we switch our Xiaomi 15T camera onto the heart of the community: an elderly home, where therapy dogs meet residents in need of comfort, says Iris Cao, Marketing Manager of Xiaomi South Africa.
“Because fur heals. In every wagging tail and gentle paw, there’s warmth that words cannot capture. These moments, laughter, relief, connection, are stories worth telling. With the Xiaomi 15T, we don’t just capture images, we capture emotions, Cao continued, “Much like the Ultra-Wide digital zoom of the Xiaomi 15T, the therapy pets brought hope, something that seemed FAR for the elderly, much CLOSER.”
Flower Foundation Retirement Homes, which has long created nurturing spaces for older South Africans, welcomed the collaboration. By combining the expertise of Woodrock’s Paws@Work therapy pets with the storytelling power of Xiaomi’s technology, the campaign demonstrates how connection heals, even when received in unexpected ways.
As Xiaomi PETriotism continues this October, we are reminded that unconditional love is not a memory. It is a gift waiting to be captured. It lives in the eyes of a rescued dog searching for a new home, in the quiet comfort of a cat’s presence, and in the simple act of bringing joy back into and changing two lives, theirs and yours, one photograph at a time. This campaign is more than a showcase of technology; it’s a reminder that healing is shared. It’s also a call to action: let’s choose adoption over buying pets, and let’s give hope to animals who give us unconditional love in return.
On this World Mental Health Day, let all of us – people, pets, and communities – heal together.
ENDS.
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| Contact:Xiaomi South Africa Nonto Zulu Marketing Executive+27 78 254 2674 p-zulunonto@xiaomi.com | 9ath [pronounced Path]Lele Maboi Strategic Comms Pathner +27 84 089 3244 lele@9ath.co.za |
About Xiaomi
Xiaomi is where curious minds gather. Founded in April 2010 as a consumer electronics and smart manufacturing company with smartphones and smart hardware connected by an IoT platform at its core. Today, Xiaomi ranks among the top three smartphone companies worldwide.
Xiaomi’s mission is to build amazing products to let everyone in the world enjoy a better life through technology. The company is also committed to building a sustainable world, designing responsibly, and producing sustainably.
