Living with companion animals after stroke: experiences of older people in community and primary care nursing

Abstract

Living with companion animals after stroke: experiences of older people in community and primary care nursing.Johansson, Maria; Ahlström, Gerd; Jönsson, Ann-Cathrin Ahlström, G., & Jönsson, A-C. (2014). Living with companion animals after stroke: experiences of older people in community and primary care nursing. British Journal of Community Nursing, 19(12), 578-584. DOI: 10.12968/bjcn.2014.19.12.578 General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.• Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research.• You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal AbstractOlder people often have companion animals, and the significance of the animals in people's lives should be considered by nurses, particularly in relation to older people's health, which can be affected by diseases. The incidence of stroke increases with age and disabilities as a result of stroke are common. This study aimed to explore older people's experiences of living with companion animals after stroke, and their life situation with the animals to the physical, psychological, and social aspects of recovery after stroke. The study was performed using individual interviews approximately 2 years after stroke with 17 participants (10 women and 7 men), aged 62-88 years. An overarching theme arising from the content analysis was contribution to a meaningful life. This theme was generated from four categories: motivation for physical and psychosocial recovery after stroke, someone to care for who cares for you, animals as family members, and providers of safety and protection. The main conclusion was that companion animals are experienced as physical and psychosocial contributors to recovery and a meaningful life after stroke.Keywords: companion animal, elderly, older people, pet, recovery, stroke 3In recent decades there has been increased interest in the relationship between companion animals and human health. This issue has been raised particularly with respect to older people, since it is common for the elderly to have companion animals (pets). International studiesSeveral studies have shown that companion animals have a measurable effect on older people's general health. A study of 884 participants (23% aged ≥65 years) reported that frequent dog-walking may have health benefits for older adults through increased physical activity and a heightened sense of community (Toohey et al, 2013). Another study, involving 1091 participants (aged 65-95 years), demonstrated that dog-walkers had more frequent physical activity and higher total functional ability than participants without dogs (Gretebeck et al, 2013)....

Pros and cons of pet ownership in sustaining independence in community-dwelling older adults: a scoping review

“…Positive psychological outcomes such as increased feelings of wellbeing, self-efficacy, happiness, cheerfulness and relaxation were reported in almost half the studies reviewed (N = 27; 43.5%), as well as a decrease in depressive symptoms, anxiety and stress levels (Enders-Slegers, 2000; Hecht et al , 2001; Suthers-McCabe, 2001; Becker and Morton, 2002; Likourezos et al , 2002; VanZile, 2004; Mallia, 2006; Motooka et al , 2006; Tatschl et al , 2006; Chur-Hansen et al , 2008; de Guzman et al , 2009; Hargrave, 2011; Culbertson, 2013; Gretebeck et al , 2013; Himsworth and Rock, 2013; Putney, 2013, 2014; Johansson et al , 2014; McNicholas, 2014; Bennett et al , 2015; Mayo Clinic, 2015; Zane, 2015; Branson et al , 2016; Yang et al , 2017). Pets could also decrease the stress associated with grief following the loss of a loved one (Wells and Rodi, 2000; Suthers-McCabe, 2001; Dice, 2002; Hara, 2007; Culbertson, 2013; Putney, 2013; McNicholas, 2014; Anderson et al , 2015).…”

A Systematic Review of Research on Pet Ownership and Animal Interactions among Older Adults

“…They mostly included comparisons of pet owners and non-owners, and did not involve random assignment to conditions, due to the nature of PO and the practical and ethical challenges with randomly assigning PO. Two additional studies classified as level 5 involved interviews of small groups of older adults regarding PO (Johansson et al, 2014), and a focus group of older adult dog walkers (Knight & Edwards, 2008).…”

“…Similarly, PO was associated with improved survival and lower risk of fatal cardiovascular events in a sample of hypertensive older adults (Chowhurdy et al, 2017). In an additional level 5 study with a small sample size (Johansson et al, 2014), older adults experienced companion animals as important physical and psychosocial contributors to recovery after a stroke. PO was also associated with several other positive physical health and activity outcomes.…”

Pets, Social Participation, and Aging-in-Place: Findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

“…As an early contribution that adopted such an approach, a Canadian study by Raina, Waltner-Toews, Bonnett, Woodward, & Abernathy (1999) produced longitudinal evidence that pets may support both physical function and psychological well-being for older adults as they age. Other studies have also suggested that pets may support both the mental and physical health of community-dwelling older adults who are managing chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes (Peel, Douglas, Parry, & Lawton, 2010), as well as those recovering from a stroke (Johansson, Ahlström, & Jönsson, 2014) or cardiovascular events (Chowdhury et al, 2017; Friedmann, Thomas, & Son, 2011).…”