Pet therapy in elderly patients with mental illness
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| Category | Journal Articles |
|---|---|
| Abstract |
Background: To evaluate the effects of pet therapy on cognitive function, mood and perceived quality of life on elderly inpatients (mean age 84.7 years; 95.2% women) affected by dementia, depression and psychosis. Methods: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and 15-items Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) were administered to 10 patients (pet group) and 11 controls (control group) together with a self-perceived quality-of-life questionnaire, before and after a pet therapy intervention that lasted 6 weeks. MMSE and GDS mean scores were compared between and within groups by Student's t-test. Results: Both the pet group and control group improved on GDS and MMSE. Within the pet group, GDS symptoms decreased by 50% (from 5.9 to 2.7, P= 0.013), whereas mean MMSE score increased by 4.5 (P= 0.060). The between group comparison showed a positive effect of pet therapy intervention on GDS (P= 0.070). Most of the participants reported an improvement of their perceived quality of life. Conclusions: Pet therapy is efficient in improving depressive symptoms and cognitive function in residents of long-term care facilities with mental illness. |
| Date | 2011 |
| Publication Title | Psychogeriatrics |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 125-129 |
| ISBN/ISSN | 1346-35001479-8301 |
| Publisher | Wiley |
| DOI | 10.1111/j.1479-8301.2010.00329.x |
| URL | https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1479-8301.2010.00329.x |
| Language | English |
| Author Address | Moretti, Francesca, Institute of Psychiatry 'P. Ottonello', Bologna University Viale Pepoli 5, 40100, Bologna, Italy, fra-moretti@libero.it |
| Additional Language | English |
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