title: Animal-assisted activity: experiences of institutionalized Japanese older adults.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine how a group of institutionalized elderly Japanese women perceived animal-assisted activity (AAA) and how their perceptions may be relevant to clinical nursing practices in the AAA context. The participants in this study, 8 elderly Japanese women residing in a nursing home in a northern Japanese city, had attended AAA sessions two times per month for 2 years prior to this study's data collection. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and data were analyzed using phenomenological procedures. Six themes emerged concerning the interactive relationships between the participants and the animals; in addition, participants were able to develop interest in themselves, other residents, and their environment, due to feelings of ease and the development of one-on-one relationships with the AAA dogs. Volunteers from outside the nursing home made residents feel refreshed and gave them opportunities to broaden their contact with society.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Sapporo City University, Chuoku, Sapporo, Japan. n.kawamura@scu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Namiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niiyama
authors.forename: Harue
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Niiyama
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D003142:Communication; D003704:Dementia / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D004285:Dogs / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D001841:Human-Animal Bond; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D007326:Institutionalization; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007564:Japan; D008132:Loneliness / Q000523:psychology; D008568:Memory; D009735:Nursing Homes; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014838:Volunteers / Q000523:psychology