The impact of canine-assisted activities on communication skills, in older adults with dementia

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to inves,gate the impact of canine-assisted activities (CAA) on the communica,on skills of ins,tu,onalised older adults with dementia. It also aimed to gather data on the perspectives of leading allied healthcare professionals working at the same long-term care facility, on CAA. Background. Dementia has a major impact on the biological, psychological, and social aspects of individuals, and also affects their caregivers and healthcare professionals. One way of how the caregivers cope is by admiting the person into a long-term care facility. This, however, reduces the quality of life of the individual. Thus, CAA has been introduced in many healthcare systems worldwide to help improve the person holistically and has proven its relevance and importance. Method. Nine participants were involved in this study. The use of observation checklist and specific targeted questions were the tools of choice. The checklist aimed at including conversation, social, pragmatic and communication skills. A mixed approach was employed when analysing the observation checklist of the five older adults, which were observed in the presence and in the absence of the dog, in different settings. Thematic analysis was used during all the qualitative research. Additionally, the data of the four professionals was extracted qualitatively from a set of focus group questions, which sought to extract in-depth information. Results. When CAA was implemented, most participants interacted with affection and interest, used verbal and non-verbal forms of communication effectively, and were often content. Speech hesitancy was also noted to decrease during the activities. In the absence of CAA, less participants were engaged, and fewer participants displayed a positive approach. This suggests that the aim of CAA was reached during this research. The leading allied health professionals expressed their perspectives on the benefits that CAA has on patients, including improving their overall emotional state and communication. These professionals also discussed the relevant concerns of CAA, stating that the effectiveness is dependent on the stage of dementia, and whether the patient is intrinsically afraid of dogs. The professionals’ interpretations and suggested modifications to successfully implement CAA in Malta was also noted, such as the importance of increasing awareness on this form of intervention, along with the related issues regarding a lack of resources.