Reducing the Impact of Long Term Stays in Hospitals and Care

FacilitiesBy: Kelsey Foster

Problems:

• Fear

• Anxiety

• Stress

• Depression

• Physical illness: Kidney failure

What is AAA?

• AAA is Animal Assisted Activities

• Animal assisted activities are used in long term stays where patients suffer from stress and anxiety

How are dogs engineering?

• These are not normal dogs

• These are specially trained medical tools used for all types of things

• Patients suffering from many types of metal stress would benefit from these programs

• Studies have shown that patients who are involved in AAA or AAT(animal assisted therapies) Heal better and faster when in a long term care situation

• AAA and AAT are not programs to cure, however, used in tandem with medical treatment, become a crucial part to the healing process.

• Along with hospitalizations, service animals have been used to successfully counteract the effects of many other mental conditions

• PTSD

• Panic Disorders

• Other emotional trauma

• Dogs can be trained to do large amounts of things that could be useful to many individuals who can no longer do things for themselves.

• Can detect seizures

• Drop or rise in heart rate or anxiety

• Provide stability

• Emotional support

• Bark to signal a problem

• Pick up dropped items

Looking Forward

• With more research, these dogs can be trained to do many more things

• Dogs will become a crucial part or long term treatment

• There could be more neurological studies done to see just how dogs effect these patients and how we can use this data to reach more patients

Works CitedGraham, Judith. "After Hospitalization, Mental Trouble for Elderly Patients." The New Old Age After Hospitalization Mental Trouble

for Elderly Patients Comments. The New York Times, 23 Mar. 2012. Web. 04 Oct. 2013

Knisely, Janet S., PhD, Sandra B. Barker, PhD, and Randolph T. Barker, PhD. "Research on Benefits of Canine-Assisted Therapy for

Adults in Nonmilitary Settings." Http://www.cs.amedd.army.mil. United States Army, n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2013.

Brez, Courtney. "Effects of Hospitalization." Musicasmedicine.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2013.