title: [Animal-assisted therapy for demented patients in acute care hospitals].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In nursing homes animal-assisted therapy has been applied in demented elderly patients for several years. There are no studies on this treatment in hospitals, especially in geriatric departments.
  
  
  METHODS
  From September 2010 to November 2011 105 in-patients, among them 77 female, participated in a 30 min dog-assisted group therapy (mean age 84,4 ± 6,56 years). The patients had cognitive and functional impairments (mean MMSE 18 points, mean Barthel Index 34,6 points).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adverse events were not observed. Thirteen patients discontinued the treatment early, due to different reasons. The psychologist, who attended the treatment, observed an improvement of mood in 58 % and an improvement in activity in 54 %.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Animal assisted therapy can be safely established in a hospital among patients with cognitive impairment. The data support the hypothesis that animal assisted therapy improves mood, communication and activity in patients with cognitive impairment.
authors.affiliation: Medizinisch-Geriatrische Klinik, Diakonissen-Krankenhaus, Agaplesion Frankfurter Diakonie-Kliniken, Holzhausenstr. 72-92, 60322, Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland. rupert.puellen@fdk.info
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Püllen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coy
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hunger
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koetter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spate
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Richter
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D056447:Animal Assisted Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D016896:Treatment Outcome