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Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and other
dementias account for many instances of agitation by the residents of long-term
care homes. There are on-going studies
being funded to try and help not only the residents but also the staff deal
with these behaviours. One of the areas
being studied is the use of pets, usually dogs, as therapy. This type of therapy is called Animal
Assisted Therapy (AAT). Nancy E.
Richeson, writing in the American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other
Dementias, Volume 18, Number 6, Nov/Dec 2003, did a small study looking at pet
therapy as an aid to combating agitation or disruptive behaviour.
To start, participants were chosen who had
owned and, according to their family members, liked their pets; had no
allergies, fear or intense dislike of dogs and who also experience agitation or
disruptive behaviour.
There were three groups of residents who
participated in this study, one had interaction with the dogs, one had visits
from student visitors and the third group had neither students nor dogs
visiting them. Charts were carefully
kept and after a 3 week period, it was shown that the behaviour of the group
interacting with the dogs had the most improvement, the group visited by the
students improved somewhat and the control group showed no improvement.
The residents participating in the AAT
study became more sociable, they became excited by the idea of seeing their
therapy dog, they stroked and talked to the dog and they spoke to the handlers. As a group, they had less disruptive
behaviour before and after their visits with the dogs.
Alternative therapies are being looked at
as a way of controlling agitation and disruptive behaviour. Currently, medication would be the most
prevalent way of handling a resident that became agitated on a regular basis. Medication is expensive and can have negative
side-effects. Animal Assisted Therapy
can help several residents at the same time without the harmful side-effects.
It is important to note that all of the
participants in the group visited by the dogs already had a liking of dogs and
the residents themselves asked to be included in the study. Upon seeing the dogs many would reminisce
about their former pets and they would visibly interact with the therapy
dogs. Ms Richeson points out that if the
participants had been chosen without regard for their personal feelings about
dogs, the result would probably be very different. Just because pet therapy appears to work for
people who already like animals does not mean that it will work for people who
do not like animals. Although our family
members with AD or other dementias might be changing before our eyes, their
core feelings and beliefs do not change.
If pet therapy is not for your aging parent, look for other therapies
that might be offered in the facility of your choice.
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