Animal-assisted therapy enhances resident social interaction and initiation in long-term care facilities

Social stimulation is a valuable aspect of therapeutic activities at long-t erm care facilities, designed to decrease social isolation, maintain or sti mulate mental abilities, and increase awareness of the external environment . A study was undertaken at two such facilities to compare the effectivenes s of Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) with Non-Animal Therapy (NAT) at providi ng social stimulation, that is, at providing opportunities for patients to engage in social interaction and to initiate social behaviors. While studie s have indicated that AAT can improve resident outlook or affect, few have directly studied the social behaviors that might lead to such improvements, or the role the animals themselves might play. We observed 33 patients, bo th alert and semi- to non-alert, during regular recreational therapy sessio ns. Most patients were women (29 vs. four men), and geriatric (in their 70' s and 80's). Non-Animal Therapies included Arts and Crafts and Snack Bingo, while AAT involved animals from local animal shelters being brought by vol unteers to group sessions. Social behaviors naturally divided into Brief Co nversations, Long Conversations, and Touch. We determined frequencies and r ates of the behaviors, who initiated the behaviors and whether the behavior s were directed at other people or at the animals, Overall, during AAT residents were involved in as much or more conversation with others, including the animals, as residents in Non-Animal Therapy, an d were more likely to initiate and participate in longer conversations. The finding that different kinds of therapies seem to encourage different kind s of conversation might be an important consideration when investigating he alth benefits. The most dramatic differences between therapy types were fou nd in rates of touch: touching the animals during AAT added significantly t o resident engagement in, and initiation of, this behavior Since touch is c onsidered an important part of social stimulation and therapy, the enhancem ent of this social behavior by the animals is an important, and perhaps und ervalued, effect. (C) 2000 International Society for Anthrozoology.