[Effectiveness of dog-assisted therapy in the elderly. A preliminary study]

Abstract

Introduction: Animal-assisted therapy is increasingly present in several educational and health areas. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of such interventions in the elderly population living in residential settings.

Materials and methods: A 12-week dog-assisted intervention program was designed, with 16 participants from a nursing home divided into an experimental group and a control group.

Results: Several physical and psychological variables were assessed before and after the intervention. While there were no significant differences in the control group, the experimental group improved significantly after participating in the program.

Discussion: The results support the hypothesis that animal-assisted interventions may be beneficial for residents in elderly care homes.

Keywords: AAT (animal assisted therapy); Ancianos; Cognitive impairment; Deterioro cognitivo; Dog; Elderly; Perro; TAA (terapia asistida con animales).