Premium
The effects of a ‘pets as therapy’ dog on persons with dementia in a psychiatric ward
Author(s) -
Walsh Paul G.,
Mertin Peter G.,
Verlander Don F.,
Pollard Cris F.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
australian occupational therapy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.595
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1440-1630
pISSN - 0045-0766
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1630.1995.tb01331.x
Subject(s) - dementia , medicine , animal assisted therapy , psychiatric ward , heart rate , psychiatry , blood pressure , physical therapy , pet therapy , animal welfare , disease , ecology , biology
A pets as therapy (PAT) programme was initiated in a closed ward of a major psychiatric hospital. The effect of regular contact with a dog on a selected group of chronic ward‐bound patients suffering from dementia was assessed over a 12 week period using a number of measures. These included global measures of daily functioning, physiological measures (blood pressure and heart rate) and a measure of general ward noise levels. A matched group from a similar closed ward was used as a control. Results indicated significant experimental group changes in heart rate and a substantial drop in noise levels in the experimental ward during the presence of the dog.