The Effect of Companion Animal on Elderly with Dementia in Nursing Home
The aim of this study is to clarify improvements of the quality of life (QOL) for residents participating in companion-animal recreational activities (Animal Assisted Activity: AAA) in nursing homes. Residents (n=16, 4 males and 12 females), ranging from 71 to 95 years of age, of a nursing home where AAA was executed every Thursday participated in this study. Activity-rest measurements were continuously recorded for a total of 9 weeks (3 weeks of AAA (the 1st session), 3 weeks without AAA, and 3 weeks of AAA (the 2nd session)), using Actiwatch (model AW-L; Mini Mitter co.), an omnidirectional accelerometer. The data collected were subsequently analyzed to obtain night sleep time and efficiency. Since some of the residents were moved to hospitals or removed the monitors from their wrists by themselves, the actual number of residents for data analysis was 10 residents. Of those 10 residents, 2 residents were part of the control group, and therefore did not participate in AAA. The data showed that the average sleep time and sleep efficiency of AAA participants (n=8) during the 1st and 2nd sessions is significantly longer (p < 0.01) and better (p <0.05) as compared to the weeks without AAA. This suggests that AAA improved their QOL.
Fumihiro Toyama Iiji Ogawa Akimitsu Yokoyama Wataru Mizutani Hiroko Shibanai Satoru Nakamura
Division of Animal Sciences, Graduate School of Science & Engineering, Teikyo University of Science Japanese Animal Hospital Association, 1-15-201, Shin-ogawamachi, Shinjyuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan 162-0814 Nanasato Animal Hospital, 17-9, higashimonzen, Minumaku, Saitama, Japan 337-0016
国际会议
17th World Congress on Ergonomics(第十七届国际人类工效学大会)
北京
英文
1-5
2009-08-09（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）