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Cited by 143Human-Animal Interaction StudiesDementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchAnimal Behavior and Welfare Studies

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Pet therapy and institutionalized elderly: A study on 144 cognitively unimpaired subjects

Colombo, Giovanni, Buono, Marirosa Dello, Smania, Katya, Raviola, Roberta, De Leo, Diego·2006·Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
DOI 10.1016/j.archger.2005.06.011
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Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess whether a pet therapy program had a favorable effect on psychopathological status and perception of quality of life in cognitively unimpaired institutionalized elderly. Seven elderly rest homes in Veneto Region of Northern Italy participated in the project, which was conducted on 144 cognitively intact elderly residents (97 females and 47 males). The participants were randomly divided into three groups: 48 subjects were given a canary, 43 subjects were given a plant, and 53 subjects were given nothing. The observation period (t0-t1) lasted for 3 months. At time t0 and t1 participants were administered the mini mental state examination (MMSE) to assess their cognitive status, the LEIPAD II-Short Version (LEIPAD-SV), to gauge subjective perception of quality of life in the elderly, and the brief symptom inventory (BSI), for self-evaluation of the presence of psychopathological symptoms. At the end of the 3-month trial, tests were re-administered, without removing the experimental condition. Even if the group that received a plant seemed to benefit from the experience, they did not achieve the same positive results on BSI and quality of life subscales exhibited by the group that received a pet. This study reinforces the hypothesis that pet therapy may have a beneficial effect on the psychological well being of institutionalized elderly, in particular on aspects related to depressive symptoms and perception of quality of life.

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  • In a trial of 144 cognitively unimpaired older individuals in Italian nursing homes, those assigned to care for a canary had significantly better scores at the end of a three-month intervention on subscales of the Brief Symptom Inventory and LEIPAD-II-Short Version than those assigned to care for a plant or neither.

    “144 persons without cognitive impairment in nursing homes in Italy were exposed to either a canary, a plant, or neither of the two [6].”

    From The Benefit of Pets and Animal-Assisted Therapy to the Health of Older Individuals (2014) · cites this paper as [6]

Citations

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Research works printed but not linked: 36

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Metadata

Authors
Colombo, G., Buono, M. D., Smania, K., Raviola, R., & De Leo, D.
Affiliations
University of Padua (IT)
Corresponding author
Colombo, Giovanni
ORCID
Colombo, Giovanni
Venue
Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2006-03
Volume
42
Issue
2
Pages
207-216
ISSN
0167-4943 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.archger.2005.06.011
OpenAlex
W2039547944
Cited by
143
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 14
FWCI
6.92
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Griffith Research Online (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Human-Animal Interaction Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
Keywords
animal-assisted therapy, animal-assisted interventions, institutionalized elderly, nursing home residents, quality of life, psychopathology, depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, canaries, indoor plants, psychological well-being
MeSH terms
Aged, Aging, Animals, Animals, Domestic, Behavior Therapy, Human-Animal Bond, Canaries, Cognition, Female, Homes for the Aged, Humans, Italy, Male, Nursing Homes, Plants, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Quality of Life, Treatment Outcome

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