The Oregon Caregiver FALL/WINTER 2022 www.ohca.com 18 DATA & RESEARCH The human-animal bond is a longestablished connection. Pets—be it a dog, cat, bird, or other animal companion—are an ever-increasingly important part of our lives and our families. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the potential impacts on the wellbeing of intentional interactions between animals and people who may be living with conditions as varied as autism spectrum disorder in children, people of all ages living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or older adults living with dementia. While many areas of research on the potential benefits of many of human-animal interactions are still in the nascent stages of development, some interactions are better understood than others. Older adults are a well-studied group to assess the positive benefits of animal-assisted interventions (AAIs). Older adults living in long term care communities may particularly benefit from AAIs. A few key definitions are helpful to understand what is and is not a therapeutic intervention involving an animal versus something that may be more focused on providing life enrichment. Take, for example, the term, AAIs, which includes a variety of ways animals may intentionally engage with humans in a supportive or comforting manner. Emotional support animals and service animals are likely some of the most familiar examples of AAIs. Service animals are highly trained and work with professionals when engaging with older adults. However, the many forms of AAIs are far more wide-ranging and may also include more clearly therapeutic approaches to human-animal interactions. Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a form of an AAI with the goal of supporting people with the expressed purpose of improving their social, emotional, physical, and/or cognitive wellbeing. An example of an AAT might be a scheduled visit to a long term care community by a certified animal that is part of a therapy team that also includes a therapist trained in working with the animal. Animals might be incorporated into a conventional therapeutic session or may be an addition (or complement) to other existing therapies a resident might receive. Given the strong bonds that exist between dogs and humans, it is unsurprising that AAIs most often include dogs. Yet, other animals can be a part of AAIs such as guinea pigs or horses (e.g., equine therapy), depending on the specific needs of the person supported through this approach. Indeed, there is evidence to suggest the therapeutic involvement of animals in long term care settings can be beneficial to residents as well as caregivers. Further research is needed to move beyond anecdotal stories of success to better Animal-Assisted Interventions in Long Term Care Communities: What is the Evidence? By Walt Dawson, D.Phil clarify how and why these interventions can be beneficial and what types of interventions may be the most appropriate and in what context; however, the existing evidence is promising. Some of the most interesting impacts of AAT involve anxiety and depression, which are commonly experienced issues amongst residents in long term care settings. Further, there is increasing awareness of the negative effects of social isolation and loneliness amongst older adults. The multiple impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, on older adults living in long term care settings has brought this awareness into sharper focus. Non-pharmacological approaches to mitigate these issues are of particular salience given fewer possible risks (i.e., side effects) and lower costs when compared to more conventional treatments and interventions. Some studies1 appear to show reductions in loneliness and anxiety from various animal-based interventions amongst participating older adults including a recently published systematic review and meta-analysis in JAMA Network Open Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a form of an AAI with the goal of supporting people with the expressed purpose of improving their social, emotional, physical, and/or cognitive wellbeing.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTY1NDIzOQ==