Therapy dogs contribute to a more ‘caring’ emergency department environment for patients with mental health and substance use challenges

Dell, Colleen Anne; Pavelich, Alexandria R.; Stempien, James

doi:10.1007/s43678-024-00786-1

Can J Emerg Med

2024

DOI: 10.1007/s43678-024-00786-1

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Therapy dogs contribute to a more ‘caring’ emergency department environment for patients with mental health and substance use challenges

Colleen Anne Dell,

Alexandria R. Pavelich,

James Stempien

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Cited by 1 publication

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Witnessing Self-Affirming Moments in Persons with Dementia While Interacting with Therapy Dogs: A Case Report

Brooks,

Dell,

Chalmers

et al. 2024

Animals

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Individuals, families, and communities are impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias worldwide. In Canada and elsewhere, family members commonly see loved ones living with dementia experience difficult moments, including anxiety, stress, and fear. Struggling health care systems strive to apply the latest evidence-based interventions. In this case report, we explore how individuals who care for people with dementia can help redirect difficult personal and interpersonal moments towards hopeful moments in the presence of therapy dogs. The cases of four individuals diagnosed with dementia and interacting with therapy dog intervention in one of three environments—at a family home, in a hospital awaiting placement to a long-term care facility, and in a psychiatric centre—are reviewed from the perspectives of two attending therapy dog handlers. In addition to being researchers in the therapy dog field and authors on this case report, both handlers were guided in a 110 min focused conversational method by a third author, from which self-affirmation theory surfaced as a guiding framework for explaining their observations and experiences. Therapy dog visiting appears to facilitate positive social interactions that can help redirect difficult moments to moments defined by self-affirmation or experiencing a positive sense of self. This is an under-recognized association in the dementia literature. Self-affirmation is demonstrated through four themes during therapy dog visits: (a) physical movement, (b) psychological shift, (c) a transition in the experience of time, and (d) connective interactions. Therapy dogs are identified here as a promising self-affirming psychosocial intervention for individuals with dementia and their caregivers worthy of further research and practice attention.

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Witnessing Self-Affirming Moments in Persons with Dementia While Interacting with Therapy Dogs: A Case Report

Brooks,

Dell,

Chalmers

et al. 2024

Animals

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

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Therapy dogs contribute to a more ‘caring’ emergency department environment for patients with mental health and substance use challenges

Cited by 1 publication

References 15 publications

Witnessing Self-Affirming Moments in Persons with Dementia While Interacting with Therapy Dogs: A Case Report

Witnessing Self-Affirming Moments in Persons with Dementia While Interacting with Therapy Dogs: A Case Report

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