Animal Assisted Therapy Essay

In the field of therapy, there are numerous of therapy available out there for different type of individuals and situations as well. There is one type of therapy that usually contains people and animal, it is animal-assisted therapy is a therapeutic approach that brings animals and individuals with physical and/or emotional needs together to perform the therapy. Animal-assisted therapy tend to be focused on individuals either children or elderly for them to be able to connect with the animal thus feeling comfortable talking with the therapist. Pet therapy works for all ages, whether sick or not (Lanchnit, 2011). Although, this paper, most of the focus is on animal-assisted therapy towards children using dogs.

Medical professionals have recently seen the positive effects animals are able to provide to their patients with mental disabilities. The emotional support dog MA recognizes

Nepps, & Bruckno, (2014) and Souter & Miller,(2007) results were determined by pre/ post questionnaires and scales that viewed each participant mood before and after each session to see the outcome and effectiveness. It showed a dramatic increase in mood. It was also shown that that therapeutic alliance is enhanced with the addition of a therapy dog within a group setting with adult clients in a residential drug abuse treatment setting. Animal assisted therapy has also been shown to reduce feelings of anger and symptoms of PTSD, which can contribute to an overall improvement of mood and reduce depressive

Similarly, Iannuzzi and Rowan evaluate the ethical issues behind three different areas where animal assisted therapy is needed. These areas include, institution programs, visitation programs, and programs for the elderly. The institutions where therapy dogs are used include, (nursing homes, prisons, and various mental facilities). Iannnuzzi and Rowan point out that when the institution owns the therapy dog they are more susceptible to fatigue, they state, “ Animal fatigue is one possible problem for a resident animal if it is not allowed

In a recent study conducted by Rebecca Johnson, Ph.D., RN, of the University of Missouri-Columbia Center for the Study of Animal Wellness showed that when humans pet a dog, within minutes there is a huge amount of beneficial hormones known to be associated with health and feelings of well-being.(Becker par. 2) These hormones are called beta endorphin, prolactin, dopamine, oxytocin, and beta phenylethylamine (Becker par. 2). The hormones that are released from the interaction between the animal and the human allow the patients to feel more blissful and trusting. Along with being emotionally benefited from working with animals in assisted therapy; people can benefit physically. For example, people who have physical

The survey will help me reach the goal of reducing the feelings of depression, loneliness, low self-steam and autonomy that older adults face when they live alone. With the survey I will get information about which areas the participant improved after spending time with their dog or cat, and what areas need improvement. The animals should provide love to the elders, and companionship. I will also be able to see the benefits that dogs bring to the health of the elders, like normal blood pressure and higher immune

Dog companionship has been evaluated as a form of AAT for the effects it has on loneliness in geriatric nursing home residents. In one particular study, residents were involved in a six-month program of dog companionship three times a week for 90 minutes. Included in the program were 21 residents, with an average age of 80 years. Test results compared from before and after participation in the program reported that dog companionship reduced the perception of loneliness in elderly patients (Vrbanac).

With limited empirical research supporting the use and effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy, it is reasonable to suggest that the costs of implementing AAT into occupational therapy are not worth the benefits. Occupational therapy modalities are already effective at treating patients with many different disabilities and/or disorders—integrating a new type of therapy into occupational therapy is less convenient and more expensive than leaving an already effective therapy as is.

The evidence based research that this article supports is specific to the diagnosis of adults living with dementia, while it looks at the effects of Animal – Assisted therapy intervention on the agitated behaviors and social interactions of this diagnosis. This article is written through the eyes of a CTRS whom is using this intervention study with nursing home residents from a therapeutic recreation perspective. With the large increase in our aging population we will also be seeing an increase in dementia-associated behaviors such as agitation. By finding non-traditional treatment interventions such as Animal Assisted therapy we are setting ourselves up for success at an early time. This evidence-based research was based on a pilot study of

Most people believe that AAT only helps with mental disorders; however, according to research, AAT certified animals can also serve as emotional support animals which greatly helps physical disorders such as cancer and addiction. Research done by psychologists could be used to better train animals who will become certified for AAT. In addition, medical professionals could use this research to be able to better prescribe AAT to patients who need it. It is important for the public to be made aware of the multiple benefits of AAT so that it can have a better chance of being implemented in the federal budget. Research towards AAT is important as it can potentially serve as a natural alternative to pharmaceutical drugs. Moreover, the research can help provide psychologists a better understanding of the link between animal and human communication. AAT is now currently regulated by Pet Partners, formerly known as

What Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) Is Owning a pet and being around animals of varying species can be comforting, calming, and maybe even therapeutic to many people. According to the Humane Society of the United States, pet ownership has more than tripled in the U.S. since the 1970s. For years, organizations, animal-behavioral groups, and individuals have claimed that the use of AAT provides multiple physical, emotional, and mental benefits to its participants. Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is not commonly used or practiced in many rehabilitation facilities, but current research by multiple organizations and individual researchers discuss the benefits of this therapy. “Statistically, significant reductions in anxiety scores were found after

Abstract Animal Assisted therapy provides an alternative, complementary therapy to improve, recovery, motivation and treatment for patients with health condition. This paper is a quantitative research study on how pets impact the lives of clients with physiological and psychological medical condition. The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between human- animal and the beneficial of animal assisted therapy. The result of this study can be used to help occupational therapist determine whether to incorporate pets into therapeutic treatment as an important activity.

Pet Therapy, which can also be called Animal-Assisted Therapy, is one of the many common therapies used in memory care, and assisted living facilities. This type of therapy is a modality that holistically helps a lot of people of all different ages, especially those have been diagnosed with Dementia. It is a direct goal oriented therapy which a fully certified Pet Therapy animal will meet with a client. This type of therapy can be done individually, or it can be done in a group. Pet Therapy helps with the decreasing of agitation and aggression which are a couple of prominent and common behaviors we see in Dementia patients. This therapy also has been known to bring happiness, to help in the return of

Kanamori et. al. sought to determine the usefulness of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) in improving cognitive and physical functioning as well as endochrinological stress in senile dementia patients. This studied implemented AAT for six bi-weekly sessions in an adult day care center. The test group had a total of seven subjects, compared with a control group of 20. Researchers used the MMSE, Nishimura’s Activities of Daily Living (N-ADL), behavioral pathology of Alzheimer’s Disease (Behave-AD), and a salivary CgA test that measures mental stress.The study was conducted in Japan, where AAT is a newer concept than in the west. With a rapidly aging population the Japanese are seeking new avenues for treating age related disorders like dementia. Researchers used an animal handler that had interned with the Delta Society, a U.S. based AAT network. While quantitative and relying on statistical research, the study also featured anecdotal case studies from two of the participants. The study used a wide range of instruments to measure changes, but struggled to implement them with all participants. Researchers struggled to get a saliva sample from all participants, something that could be improved upon in further research. Other consideration for this study are the impact of cultural outlooks on pets and animals in general in Japan versus in the West where AAT is used most.

In a pilot study conducted by Prosser and colleagues, researchers seek to evaluate if companion animals improve mood and quality of life in the growing aging population. The study followed participants for six weeks during after group interactions with therapy or companion animals. The study utilized a convenience sample of 16 females and 2 males at a nursing home. Though the sample is small and lacking in diversity, it is appropriate for a pilot study. This study utilizes the geriatric depression scale (GDS) and a series of questionnaires. The study is qualitative in nature, focusing on first person accounts as an encouragement for future research. This study is unique in that it not only interviews participants, but also nursing home