Animal-assisted therapy as a bridge between the elderly and other people

本研究的目的是通过对老年人的生理和心理调查来探讨人与动物关系的影响。采用GBS量表和心理功能障碍量表（MENFIS），并进行视频观察。用热像仪观察年轻人的体表温度和心率，以提供与老年人比较的基本身体数据库。动物辅助治疗（AAT）每个月进行两次，为期三个月。研究结果包括：1；热像仪观察的年轻人在与狗的互动中，心率下降，面部温度升高。由于从老年参与者收集的数据量不足，年轻人和老年人之间的热成像比较是不可能的。这方面需要进一步的研究。智力、情绪和其他心理功能的GBS量表在治疗前和第一组AAT结束时显示出最初的改善，但在第二组AAT结束时下降。运动功能持续下降。逐项比较显示，到第六期时，“注意力分散”显著下降。AAT的视频观察显示了老年人与狗之间的动态交流。许多参与AAT的工作人员都觉得很难支持老人和狗之间的沟通，但他们也觉得两组AAT后AAT变得有效。

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of human-animal relationships through physical and psychological investigations of the elderly. The GBS Scale and Mental Function Impairment Scale (MENFIS) were utilized, as well as video observation. Face surface temperature and heart rate of young people were observed with a thermo-graph to provide a comparative bank of basic physical data with the elderly. Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) sessions were conducted twice a month for two periods of three month. Finding included :1.For the young people observed by thermo-graph, heart rate decreased and face surface temperature increased on interaction with the dogs. The thermo-graphic comparison between the young people and the elderly was not possible due to an insufficient amount of data collected from the elderly participants. Further research will be required in this area.2.The GBS scale for Intellectual, Emotional and Other Mental functions showed initial improvement between the pre-therapy and the end of the first sets of AAT, but then declined by the end of the second set. Motor function continually declined. An item by item comparison showed a significant decrease in 'Distractibility' by the sixth session.3.Video observation of AAT showed the dynamic communication between the elderly and the dogs.4. Many staff involved with the AAT felt it was difficult to support communication between the elderly and the dogs, but they also felt AAT became effective after two sets of AAT.