title: Animal assisted therapy and perception of loneliness in geriatric nursing home residents.
abstract: Use of animals for therapeutic purposes, animal assisted therapy or AAT is a method for improving quality of life for long-term inpatients. The object of this paper was to evaluate dog companionship as a form of AAT and its effects on perception of loneliness in geriatric nursing home residents. The participants were involved in a six-month program of dog companionship three times weekly for 90 minutes. There were 21 residents included in the program, with a mean age of 80 years. Loneliness was measured by the short version of the UCLA Scale of loneliness. Comparison of test results before and after participation in the program showed that dog companionship reduces the perception of loneliness.
authors.affiliation: University of Zagreb, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Radiology, Ultrasound Diagnostics and Physical Therapy, Zagreb, Croatia. zvrbanac@vef.hr
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Vrbanac
authors.forename: Iva
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zecević
authors.forename: Marijana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ljubić
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belić
authors.forename: Damir
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stanin
authors.forename: Nika Brkljaca
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Bottegaro
authors.forename: Gabrijela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jurkić
authors.forename: Branimir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Skrlin
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bedrica
authors.forename: Damir
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zubcić
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D056447:Animal Assisted Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D017523:Croatia; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008132:Loneliness / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011788:Quality of Life