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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04635124

Optimal Dog Visits

The aim of this project is to study how an the intensity of dog contact during dog visits in nursing homes can affect the immediate response to, and the general effect of the visits, and whether the residents' level of cognitive impairment affects the response and benefit of dog visits.

The participants are randomly assigned to receive one type of visits (12 visits in total) out of three possible visit types (1: visit with a dog; 2: visit with a dog, including a planned activity, 3 visit without a dog, including a planned activity). The residents received 2 visits per week for 6 weeks. The behaviour of the participants during visits is recorded. Before and after the intervention period, participants are scores on psychometric scales for cognitive impairment level, daily function level and symptoms of depression.

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Key information

Conditions

Dementia Aging Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Mental Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurocognitive Disorders

Age range

60 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Being able to sit up during the visits

Exclusion criteria

  • Dog allergy
  • Fear of dogs
  • Health problems that make participation unadvisable

Treatment and study plan

Dog visit

Behavioral

An visitor visits the participant with a dog

Encourage to engage in activity

Behavioral

In each visit the visitor invites the participant to engage in an activitty

Primary outcomes

  1. Behavioural response during visits

    Time frame: Behaviour is recorded in all of the 12 visits in the 6 week intervention period

    The behaviour of the residents is recorded by direct observation using continuous recording. In all visits, the frequency and duration of talk and physical contact to the persons present are recorded. Talk is classified into talk about the dog and/or activity, depending on the visit type. In visits with dogs (D, DA), the frequency and duration of physical contact and talk directed to the dog are recorded, and in visits involving an activity (DA, A), the frequency and duration of the residents' involvement in the activity are recorded.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Cognitive impairment level, before intervention

    Time frame: This measure is obtained in the week preceeding the intervention period (6 weeks, 2 visits )

    All participants were scored on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), which gives information about the participants' cognitive status.The MMSE score has a minimum and maximum value of 0 and 30, respectively. The lower the score, the more severe the cognitively impairment level.

  2. Daily function level, before intervention

    Time frame: This measure is obtained in the week preceeding the intervention period (6 weeks, 2 visits )

    All participants were scored on The Gottfries-Bråne-Steen Scale (GBS), which is an evaluation of disabilities, language, psychiatric symptoms, average daily living function, and behaviour of the participants. The GBS score has a minimum and maximum value of 0 and 156, respectively. The lower the score, the more well-functioning the patient.

  3. Symptoms of depression, before intervention

    Time frame: This measure is obtained in the week preceeding the intervention period (6 weeks, 2 visits )

    All participants were scored on the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), to screen for symptoms of depression. The GDS score has a minimum and maximum value of 0 and 15, respectively.A high score indicates more symptoms of depression.

  4. Cognitive impairment level, after intervention

    Time frame: This measure is obtained in the week following the intervention period (6 weeks, 2 visits )

    All participants were scored on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), which gives information about the participants' cognitive status. The MMSE score has a minimum and maximum value of 0 and 30, respectively. The lower the score, the more severe the cognitively impairment level.

  5. Daily function level,, after intervention

    Time frame: This measure is obtained in the week following the intervention period (6 weeks, 2 visits )

    All participants were scored on The Gottfries-Bråne-Steen Scale (GBS), which is an evaluation of disabilities, language, psychiatric symptoms, average daily living function, and behaviour of the participants. The GBS score has a minimum and maximum value of 0 and 156, respectively. The lower the score, the more well-functioning the patient.

  6. Symptoms of depression, after intervention

    Time frame: This measure is obtained in the week following the intervention period (6 weeks, 2 visits )

    All participants were scored on the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), to screen for symptoms of depression. The GDS score has a minimum and maximum value of 0 and 15, respectively.A high score indicates more symptoms of depression.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Aarhus

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2015
Primary completion
2017
Study completion
2017
First posted
Nov 18, 2020
Registry last updated
Nov 18, 2020

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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