Abstract
ABSTRACTPurpose: Living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) can involve a person being unable to recall and convey information in daily life. There are several ways to provide person-centred care to older people with AD, e.g. by empowering them in a situation. The use of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) with a therapy dog in the care of people with dementia is increasing, with the presence of a therapy dog being described as improving, among other things, the well-being and socialization of the person. The aim of this study was to illuminate meanings of care for people with AD in their encounters with a therapy dog.Method: The study used video-recorded observations of the person with AD and the dog. Data were transcribed and analysed using a phenomenological hermeneutic method.Results: The main theme was “Using one’s own resources and abilities as a human being”, which meant being the person one can be and distancing oneself from the symptoms of AD during the time with the dog.Conclusions: The feelings evoked in the people with AD included empathy and altruism, which allowed for a sense of joy and tenderness, which may induce a sense of self-worth, of being needed, and of being meaningful.
Highlights
A person-centred approach for people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementias is beneficial when it comes to reaffirming and empowering the person (Edvardsson, Petersson, Sjogren, Lindkvist, & Sandman, 2013; Edvardsson, Winblad, & Sandman, 2008; Kitwood, 1997; McCormack & McCane, 2010)
In order to better understand the lived experience of old people who have AD, while highlighting the meanings of their lived experience when caring for a therapy dog, the phenomenological hermeneutic research method was used (Lindseth & Norberg, 2004)
According to the method of phenomenological hermeneutics, the results are written from the position and lived experience of the person with AD encountering a therapy dog
Summary
A person-centred approach for people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementias is beneficial when it comes to reaffirming and empowering the person (Edvardsson, Petersson, Sjogren, Lindkvist, & Sandman, 2013; Edvardsson, Winblad, & Sandman, 2008; Kitwood, 1997; McCormack & McCane, 2010). A few examples are caregivers singing (Hammar, Emami, Götell, & Engström, 2011), validation therapy (Söderlund, Norberg, & Hansebo, 2012), and person-centred conversations (Hedman, Hansebo, Ternestedt, Hellström, & Norberg, 2012). These methods are often used as memory triggers, so-called reminiscence (Woods, Spector, Jones, Orrell, & Davies, 2005), and temporary presence of mind in the moment (Normann, Asplund, & Norberg, 1998). Person-centred methods have been shown to strengthen the sense of “self” and identity among those who have dementia (Crichton & Koch, 2007; Hedman et al, 2012; Hedman, Hellström, Ternestedt, Hansebo, & Norberg, 2014). Being involved in meaningful activities is important for the dignity and identity of people with dementia (Tranvåg, Petersen, & Nåden, 2013)
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