Auburn University Nursing Researchers Use Therapy Dogs to Assist People With Dementia

Auburn University School of Nursing researchers are promoting social engagement among adults with dementia or other cognitive deficiencies via animal-assisted therapy, reports Alabama NewsCenter . Auburn Professors Morgan Yordy and Stuart Pope explored the potential benefits with three therapy dogs at a community respite ministry at Auburn United Methodist Church. A study published in Nurse Educator detailed their findings, along with research in the Journal of Nursing Education and Practice . The researchers noticed significant engagement between participants with dementia and the animals, as well as student engagement and comfort level, when working with such subjects and animals together. "Students were significantly more comfortable and more effective in their communication with participants when the animals were included in the community clinical experience," Yordy noted. "Persons with dementia were more engaged in the presence of animals."