Effects of animal-assisted therapy on agitated behaviors and social interactions of older adults with dementia

Richeson, Nancy E.

doi:10.1177/153331750301800610

Cited by 202 publications

(180 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Earlier studies have shown the effect of AAI on social, behavioural, psychological, and physiological outcomes, such as increased social behaviour (12)(13)(14)(15), decreased depression (19,20,63), increased mood (64), decreased agitation (10,17), and physiological outcomes that might reduce restlessness (for other studies, see the review by Beetz et al (58)). These factors are all linked to fall prevention (65).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Animalassisted activities (AAAs) are one type of AAI and include, for example, dogs and their handlers who visit for 'meet-and-greet' activities (11). Most studies of AAIs have focused on the interventions' impacts on social outcomes (12)(13)(14)(15), behavioural and psychological outcomes (16)(17)(18)(19)(20), and physiological outcomes (21-23), many of which are regarded as risk factors associated with falls. However, there are fewer studies of the effect of AAIs on performance-based physical outcomes and the results from these studies are inconsistent (19,24).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of animal-assisted activity on balance and quality of life in home-dwelling persons with dementia

et al. 2016

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Purpose of the study was to examine if animal-assisted activity with a dog (AAA) in homedwelling persons with dementia (PWDs) attending day-care centers would have an effect on factors related to risk of fall accidents, with balance (Berg balance scale) and quality of life (Quality of Life in Late-stage Dementia) as main outcome. The project was conducted as a prospective and cluster-randomized multicenter trial with a follow-up. 16 adapted day-care centers recruited respectively 42 (intervention group) and 38 (control group with treatment as usual) home-dwelling PWDs. The intervention consisted of 30 min sessions with AAA led by a qualified dog handler twice a week for 12 weeks in groups of 3-7 participants. The significant positive effect on balance indicates that AAA might work as a multifactorial intervention in dementia care and have useful clinical implication by affecting risk of fall.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of animal-assisted activity on balance and quality of life in home-dwelling persons with dementia

et al. 2016

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“…Following extensive literature review, we found no study to date that investigated the use of AAT for persons with stroke or aphasia. Despite the lack of research in AAT for persons with aphasia, numerous studies have been performed on the effects of AAT on other adult populations, such as residents of nursing homes [9][10][11][12]; patients in acute-care hospitals [13][14][15][16]; patients in intensive care units [17]; and adults with spinal cord injury [18], dementia [19][20], depression [21], psychiatric disorders [21][22][23], and schizophrenia [24][25][26].…”

Section: Animal-assisted Therapymentioning

confidence: 99%

Animal-assisted therapy for persons with aphasia: A pilot study

Macauley¹

2006

JRRD

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Abstract-This study explored the effects and effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) for persons with aphasia. Three men with aphasia from left-hemisphere strokes participated in this study. The men received one semester of traditional therapy followed by one semester of AAT. While both therapies were effective, in that each participant met his goals, no significant differences existed between test results following traditional speech-language therapy versus AAT. Results of a client-satisfaction questionnaire, however, indicated that each of the participants was more motivated, enjoyed the therapy sessions more, and felt that the atmosphere of the sessions was lighter and less stressed during AAT compared with traditional therapy.

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“…Discussing the dog can help the patient open up by triggering positive memories or pleasant feelings [11]. Communication interventions and an optimistic atmosphere can have a positive impact on QoL and can also assist nursing staff in different caring situations [19] and social interactions [9,11,[20][21][22][23].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The dogs are used with positive results in healthcare settings in relation to people with dementia or psychiatric disorders [3,4]. A growing scientific evidence base indicates that DAIs can reduce behavioral and psychological symptoms and/or improve quality of life (QoL) in people with dementia [5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. Moreover, the use of therapy dogs can possibly slow down the progression of cognitive impairment in patients with early stage or mild Alzheimer's disease [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of dog-assisted intervention on quality of life in nursing home residents with dementia

Kårefjärd

Nordgren

2018

Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy

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Background: People with dementia often have a poor quality of life. Therefore, methods that can improve their life situation must be identified. One promising method is dog-assisted intervention. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effects of dog-assisted intervention on quality of life in nursing home residents with dementia. Materials and methods: A one-group, pretest post-test study design was used. Quality of life was measured using the QUALID in 59 nursing home residents prior to and after a dog-assisted intervention. Non-parametric tests were used to analyze the data, and effect sizes were calculated. Results: The participants' total scores improved significantly between baseline and post-test 1 (p ¼ < 0.001) and worsened significantly at post-test 2 (p ¼ 0.025). The largest effect size was found for the item 'Verbalization suggests discomfort' (p ¼ 0.001). Conclusion:The results indicate that dog-assisted interventions can have positive effects on quality of life in nursing home residents with moderate to severe dementia. Significance: The results contribute to a growing knowledge base about non-pharmacological methods that can be used in dementia care. Occupational therapists should consider dogassisted interventions when planning activities that can reduce the illness burden and improve the quality of life for people with dementia.

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Effects of animal-assisted therapy on agitated behaviors and social interactions of older adults with dementia

Cited by 202 publications

References 12 publications

Effect of animal-assisted activity on balance and quality of life in home-dwelling persons with dementia

Effect of animal-assisted activity on balance and quality of life in home-dwelling persons with dementia

Animal-assisted therapy for persons with aphasia: A pilot study

Effects of dog-assisted intervention on quality of life in nursing home residents with dementia

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