title: Using a therapy dog to alleviate the agitation and desocialization of people with Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: 1. Short-term exposure to a therapy dog can reduce the number of agitation behaviors in institutionalized persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD), particularly during the period of agitation known as sundown syndrome. 2. The presence of a therapy dog can increase socialization behaviors among a group of persons with AD. 3. A therapy dog can be used as an adjunct to other calming interventions for persons with AD.
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Nursing, Omaha 68198-5330, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Churchill
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Safaoui
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: McCabe
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Baun
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D001841:Human-Animal Bond; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012951:Socialization