Brakes and levers to implement an animal-assisted intervention in nursing homes: Preliminary study

Forget, Sarah; Pennequin, Valérie; Agli, Océane; Bailly, Nathalie

doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102591

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Only Queensland Health has a readily available set of guidelines discussing animals visiting or residing in RACF. While the guidelines do discuss animals in the aged care setting, this mention is brief and almost exclusively directed at healthcare (hospital) facilities, whose focus (acute care) is not the model of care discussed here [ 64 , 65 ]. With this caveat in mind, it is interesting to note that the guidelines specify that only adult “domestic companion animals suitable as household pets” are allowed in RACF, and does not reflect the actual occurrence of animal visitations to, or residence in, RACF in Australia [ 64 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fur, Fin, and Feather: Management of Animal Interactions in Australian Residential Aged Care Facilities

Newton

Signal

Judd

2022

Animals

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Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) have been occurring in Australian Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF) for more than 40 years and may relieve loneliness and improve quality of life. The presence of animals in RACF poses an inherent risk to residents and the animals involved. Little is known about the policies and guidelines for including animals in the Australian RACF. We anticipated that most RACFs would have some policies, but they may lack the detail necessary to keep humans and animals safe. Using an adapted survey, we surveyed and interviewed a small but representative sample of Australian RACF managers. The results demonstrated that RACF did have animal policies; however, the content regarding the need for hand washing, infection prevention, and animal welfare was lacking. Including unregulated family pets in RACF was an unexpected additional risk factor identified during data analysis. There is a need for national guidelines tied to the national aged care policy, which includes training and educational resources for RACF and AAI providers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fur, Fin, and Feather: Management of Animal Interactions in Australian Residential Aged Care Facilities

Newton

Signal

Judd

2022

Animals

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“…Non-pharmacological therapy has emerged as an essential, economical and alternative treatment to reduce BPSD and alleviate cognitive decline (Abraha et al, 2017; Kim et al, 2021; Leng et al, 2020). Studies have found that animal assisted intervention (AAI) is a popular type of non-pharmacological therapy (Leng et al, 2020) and psychosocial intervention (Barrière et al, 2021) which can have positive effects on physical, psychological, and social functioning of people living with dementia (Chang et al, 2021; Forget et al, 2021; Marks & McVilly, 2020; Yakimicki et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stakeholders’ Perceptions and Experiences of Animal Assisted Interventions for People Living With Dementia: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis Protocol

Zhang

Hennessy

Houghton

2023

International Journal of Qualitative Methods

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Background: Dementia is a priority public health issue globally. Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) lead to low quality of life (QoL) for people living with dementia and can also cause distress amongst their caregivers. To date, the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments for dementia have had limited. Animal assisted intervention (AAI) has become a popular non-pharmacological therapy and psychosocial intervention, and can have positive effects on mood, social behavior, physical activity and QoL of people living with dementia. The factors influencing the delivery of AAI remain underexplored. The aim of this review is to synthesize qualitative research regarding stakeholders’ perceptions and experiences of AAI for people living with dementia in community settings. Methods: We will systematically search nine databases/platforms. Two reviewers will independently screen the titles, abstracts and full texts; the process will be reported following PRISMA guidance. Data from included studies will be extracted according to a specifically designed form. Three reviewers will independently appraise the methodological quality of studies using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program qualitative checklist. We will analyze data following thematic synthesis. GRADE-CERQual will be applied to assess confidence in the findings. The research team will engage in reflexivity throughout all review stages of process through regular meetings/discussions. A Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) contributor will be included to oversee and provide advice on the QES process. Discussion: AAI is a potentially valuable for improving mood and reducing BPSD for people living with dementia. However, the perceptions and experiences of stakeholders and factors influencing the implementation of AAI for people living with dementia are not clear. This qualitative evidence synthesis will significantly contribute to the evidence base. It will identify factors and recommendations for AAI guidance, and have clinical and social implications of improving the well-being of people living with dementia and their caregivers.

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“…Several studies report that the benefits of CAIs are greater than the risks (24)(25)(26)(27)(28), nevertheless some find potential stress or welfare risks in dogs a valid reason not to use CAIs (24,(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34). Contra-indications for CAIs, include fear/phobia of animals, cultural attitudes (29), unsafe animal behavior (30,35), allergic reactions (36), workload (37,38), funding (39), concerns regarding hygiene/sanitization (39), or zoonotic transmission of diseases (40,41).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Canine-Assisted Interventions and the Relevance of Welfare Assessments for Human Health, and Transmission of Zoonosis: A Literature Review

et al. 2022

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CAIs (canine-assisted interventions) include “canine-assisted therapy” in which a therapist sets client-oriented goals, 'canine-assisted activities' with recreational goals for clients, and 'canine-assisted education/learning' in which teachers or coaches create learning goals for students or clients. CAIs vary in nearly every way; their only common trait is the involvement of dogs to respond to human need. However, the benefits of involving dogs are highly dependent on the animal's health and behavior. A dog exhibiting negative behavior or an unwell dog might pose a risk, especially for CAI target groups, specifically individuals with immunosuppression, chronic illness, children, elderly, etc. Therefore, positive animal welfare as preventative medicine to avoid incidents or transmission of zoonosis is an attractive hypothesis, with implications for human and animal, health and well-being. This review aims to summarize the current published knowledge regarding different aspects of welfare in CAIs and to discuss their relevance in the light of health and safety in CAI participants. As method for this study, a literature search was conducted (2001–2022) using the Prisma method, describing issues of dog welfare as defined in the Welfare Quality® approach. This welfare assessment tool includes 4 categories related to behavior, health, management, and environment; it was, therefore, applicable to CAIs. Results indicate that dogs working in CAIs are required to cope with diverse variables that can jeopardize their welfare. In conclusion, we propose regular welfare assessments for dogs in CAIs, which would also protect the quality of the CAI sessions and the clients' safety and well-being.

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Brakes and levers to implement an animal-assisted intervention in nursing homes: Preliminary study

Cited by 4 publications

References 22 publications

Fur, Fin, and Feather: Management of Animal Interactions in Australian Residential Aged Care Facilities

Fur, Fin, and Feather: Management of Animal Interactions in Australian Residential Aged Care Facilities

Stakeholders’ Perceptions and Experiences of Animal Assisted Interventions for People Living With Dementia: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis Protocol

Canine-Assisted Interventions and the Relevance of Welfare Assessments for Human Health, and Transmission of Zoonosis: A Literature Review

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