Abstract
Animal Assisted Activity (AAA) is a non-medical intervention that has been shown to reduce anxiety among nursing home patients in various settings. However, AAA has not been tested among acute care hospitalized older adult patients ages 65 and older. This pilot study explored if a visit from a trained dog and its handler would decrease anxiety among hospitalized, older adult patients ages 65 and greater. The participants were recruited from medical surgical/oncology units, and the Speilberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) 6-item short form was used to measure anxiety both pre- and post-interactions with the AAA-team. The data revealed that a one-time, 12–20-min visit, allowing the patients to pet and to interact with the dog, reduced (p = .000) the participants’ self-reported anxiety.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
