Therapeutic effects of dog visits in nursing homes for the elderly

Karen Thodberg; Lisbeth Uhrskov Sørensen; Janne Winther Christensen; Pia Haun Poulsen; Birthe Houbak; Vibeke Damgaard; Ingrid Keseler; David Edwards; Poul B Videbech

doi:10.1111/psyg.12159

Therapeutic effects of dog visits in nursing homes for the elderly

Karen Thodberg, Lisbeth Uhrskov Sørensen, Janne Winther Christensen, Pia Haun Poulsen, Birthe Houbak, Vibeke Damgaard, Ingrid Keseler, David Edwards, Poul B Videbech

Department of Clinical Medicine

37 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Previous studies have suggested that visiting dogs can have positive effects on elderly people in nursing homes. We wanted to study the effects of biweekly dog visits on sleep patterns and the psychiatric well-being of elderly people. Methods: A total of 100 residents (median age: 85.5 years; [79; 90]) from four nursing homes were randomly assigned to receive biweekly visits for 6 weeks from a person accompanied by either a dog, a robot seal (PARO), or a soft toy cat. Sleep patterns were measured using actigraphy technology before, during (the third and sixth week), and after the series of visits. The participants were weighed and scored on the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Gottfries-Bråne-Steen Scale, and the Mini-Mental State Examination before and after the visit period. Results: We found that sleep duration (min) increased in the third week when visitors were accompanied by a dog rather than the robot seal or soft toy cat (dog: 610 ± 127 min; seal: 498 ± 146 min; cat: 540 ± 163 min; F_2,37 = 4.99; P = 0.01). No effects were found in the sixth week or after the visit period had ended. We found that visit type had no effect on weight (F_2,88 = 0.13; P > 0.05), body mass index (F_2,86 = 0.33; P > 0.05), Geriatric Depression Scale (F_2,82 = 0.85; P > 0.05), Gottfries-Bråne-Steen Scale (F_2,90 = 0.41; P > 0.05), or Mini-Mental State Examination (F_2,91 = 0.35; P > 0.05). Furthermore, we found a decrease in the Geriatric Depression Scale during the experimental period (S = −420; P < 0.05), whereas cognitive impairment worsened as shown by a decrease in Mini-Mental State Examination score (S = −483; P < 0.05) and an increase in the Gottfries-Bråne-Steen Scale (t = 2.06; P < 0.05). Conclusion: Visit type did not affect the long-term mental state of the participants. The causal relationship between sleep duration and dog-accompanied visits remains to be explored.

Original language	English
Journal	Psychogeriatrics
Volume	16
Issue number	5
Pages (from-to)	289–297
ISSN	1346-3500
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/psyg.12159
Publication status	Published - 1 Sept 2016

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@article{fd511e3ca1184ba38385072341d4a125,

title = "Therapeutic effects of dog visits in nursing homes for the elderly",

abstract = "Background: Previous studies have suggested that visiting dogs can have positive effects on elderly people in nursing homes. We wanted to study the effects of biweekly dog visits on sleep patterns and the psychiatric well-being of elderly people. Methods: A total of 100 residents (median age: 85.5 years; [79; 90]) from four nursing homes were randomly assigned to receive biweekly visits for 6 weeks from a person accompanied by either a dog, a robot seal (PARO), or a soft toy cat. Sleep patterns were measured using actigraphy technology before, during (the third and sixth week), and after the series of visits. The participants were weighed and scored on the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Gottfries-Br{\aa}ne-Steen Scale, and the Mini-Mental State Examination before and after the visit period. Results: We found that sleep duration (min) increased in the third week when visitors were accompanied by a dog rather than the robot seal or soft toy cat (dog: 610 ± 127 min; seal: 498 ± 146 min; cat: 540 ± 163 min; F2,37 = 4.99; P = 0.01). No effects were found in the sixth week or after the visit period had ended. We found that visit type had no effect on weight (F2,88 = 0.13; P > 0.05), body mass index (F2,86 = 0.33; P > 0.05), Geriatric Depression Scale (F2,82 = 0.85; P > 0.05), Gottfries-Br{\aa}ne-Steen Scale (F2,90 = 0.41; P > 0.05), or Mini-Mental State Examination (F2,91 = 0.35; P > 0.05). Furthermore, we found a decrease in the Geriatric Depression Scale during the experimental period (S = −420; P < 0.05), whereas cognitive impairment worsened as shown by a decrease in Mini-Mental State Examination score (S = −483; P < 0.05) and an increase in the Gottfries-Br{\aa}ne-Steen Scale (t = 2.06; P < 0.05). Conclusion: Visit type did not affect the long-term mental state of the participants. The causal relationship between sleep duration and dog-accompanied visits remains to be explored.",

author = "Karen Thodberg and S{\o}rensen, {Lisbeth Uhrskov} and Christensen, {Janne Winther} and Poulsen, {Pia Haun} and Birthe Houbak and Vibeke Damgaard and Ingrid Keseler and David Edwards and Videbech, {Poul B}",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2015 The Authors. Psychogeriatrics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of {\textcopyright} 2015 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.",

year = "2016",

month = sep,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1111/psyg.12159",

language = "English",

volume = "16",

pages = "289–297",

journal = "Psychogeriatrics",

issn = "1346-3500",

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T1 - Therapeutic effects of dog visits in nursing homes for the elderly

AU - Thodberg, Karen

AU - Sørensen, Lisbeth Uhrskov

AU - Christensen, Janne Winther

AU - Poulsen, Pia Haun

AU - Houbak, Birthe

AU - Damgaard, Vibeke

AU - Keseler, Ingrid

AU - Edwards, David

AU - Videbech, Poul B

PY - 2016/9/1

Y1 - 2016/9/1

N2 - Background: Previous studies have suggested that visiting dogs can have positive effects on elderly people in nursing homes. We wanted to study the effects of biweekly dog visits on sleep patterns and the psychiatric well-being of elderly people. Methods: A total of 100 residents (median age: 85.5 years; [79; 90]) from four nursing homes were randomly assigned to receive biweekly visits for 6 weeks from a person accompanied by either a dog, a robot seal (PARO), or a soft toy cat. Sleep patterns were measured using actigraphy technology before, during (the third and sixth week), and after the series of visits. The participants were weighed and scored on the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Gottfries-Bråne-Steen Scale, and the Mini-Mental State Examination before and after the visit period. Results: We found that sleep duration (min) increased in the third week when visitors were accompanied by a dog rather than the robot seal or soft toy cat (dog: 610 ± 127 min; seal: 498 ± 146 min; cat: 540 ± 163 min; F2,37 = 4.99; P = 0.01). No effects were found in the sixth week or after the visit period had ended. We found that visit type had no effect on weight (F2,88 = 0.13; P > 0.05), body mass index (F2,86 = 0.33; P > 0.05), Geriatric Depression Scale (F2,82 = 0.85; P > 0.05), Gottfries-Bråne-Steen Scale (F2,90 = 0.41; P > 0.05), or Mini-Mental State Examination (F2,91 = 0.35; P > 0.05). Furthermore, we found a decrease in the Geriatric Depression Scale during the experimental period (S = −420; P < 0.05), whereas cognitive impairment worsened as shown by a decrease in Mini-Mental State Examination score (S = −483; P < 0.05) and an increase in the Gottfries-Bråne-Steen Scale (t = 2.06; P < 0.05). Conclusion: Visit type did not affect the long-term mental state of the participants. The causal relationship between sleep duration and dog-accompanied visits remains to be explored.

AB - Background: Previous studies have suggested that visiting dogs can have positive effects on elderly people in nursing homes. We wanted to study the effects of biweekly dog visits on sleep patterns and the psychiatric well-being of elderly people. Methods: A total of 100 residents (median age: 85.5 years; [79; 90]) from four nursing homes were randomly assigned to receive biweekly visits for 6 weeks from a person accompanied by either a dog, a robot seal (PARO), or a soft toy cat. Sleep patterns were measured using actigraphy technology before, during (the third and sixth week), and after the series of visits. The participants were weighed and scored on the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Gottfries-Bråne-Steen Scale, and the Mini-Mental State Examination before and after the visit period. Results: We found that sleep duration (min) increased in the third week when visitors were accompanied by a dog rather than the robot seal or soft toy cat (dog: 610 ± 127 min; seal: 498 ± 146 min; cat: 540 ± 163 min; F2,37 = 4.99; P = 0.01). No effects were found in the sixth week or after the visit period had ended. We found that visit type had no effect on weight (F2,88 = 0.13; P > 0.05), body mass index (F2,86 = 0.33; P > 0.05), Geriatric Depression Scale (F2,82 = 0.85; P > 0.05), Gottfries-Bråne-Steen Scale (F2,90 = 0.41; P > 0.05), or Mini-Mental State Examination (F2,91 = 0.35; P > 0.05). Furthermore, we found a decrease in the Geriatric Depression Scale during the experimental period (S = −420; P < 0.05), whereas cognitive impairment worsened as shown by a decrease in Mini-Mental State Examination score (S = −483; P < 0.05) and an increase in the Gottfries-Bråne-Steen Scale (t = 2.06; P < 0.05). Conclusion: Visit type did not affect the long-term mental state of the participants. The causal relationship between sleep duration and dog-accompanied visits remains to be explored.

U2 - 10.1111/psyg.12159

DO - 10.1111/psyg.12159

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26510632

SN - 1346-3500

VL - 16

SP - 289

EP - 297

JO - Psychogeriatrics

JF - Psychogeriatrics

IS - 5

ER -

Therapeutic effects of dog visits in nursing homes for the elderly

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