Animal-Assisted Therapy Improves Communication and Mobility among Institutionalized People with Cognitive Impairment.

ABSTRACT: Disorders of communication, social relationships, and psychomotricity are often characterized by cognitive impairment, which hinders daily activities and increases the risk of falls. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an animal-assisted therapy (AAT) program in an institutionalized geriatric population with cognitive impairment. The variables evaluated included level of communication and changes in gait and/or balance. We performed a two-arm, parallel controlled, open-label, nonrandomized cluster clinical trial in two nursing home centers from an urban area. Patients in the two centers received 12 weekly sessions of physiotherapy, but the experimental group included AAT with a therapy dog. The study included a total of 46 patients (23 Control Group [CG], 23 Experimental Group [EG

SUBMITTER: Rodrigo-Claverol M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7459682 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature