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What
is Animal Assisted Therapy?
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It's not just for dogs anymore...see other animals used in therapy...Click here |
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Animal Assisted Therapy(AAT)
At first glance it may be difficult to distinguish
between AAA and AAT. The following are the Delta Society's
listing of the critical differences between the two types
of interventions. AAA may have one or two of these characteristics,
but AAT must have all four. In general, AAT is more formal
process than AAA.
The key features of AAT are:
- AAT
is overseen by a health/human service provider as part
of his or her profession. This person
may be a physician, occupational therapist, physical
therapist, speech and language pathologist, certified
therapeutic recreation specialist, teacher, nurse, social
worker, mental health professional, etc. The animal
may be handled by the professional or by a volunter
under the direction of the professional.
- To be considered AAT, the
professional must incorporate the animal as part of
his or her own specialty. For example,
an occupational therapist must incorporate the animal
within the context of occupational therapy, as in teaching
a patient ADLs using the animal as a transitional activity.
- AAT is goal-directed. There
is specific end in mind, such as improvement in fine
motor skills, speech development, range of motion, etc.
Anyvisit with an animal may result in the achievement
of one or more of these goals. However, unless the goals
are identified by the professional and defined before
the session, the session cannot be considered AAT.
- AAT is documented.
Each session is documented for progress in the client's
record.
(exerpt taken from Delta Society's Pet
Partner Team Training Manual, 2007)
Examples of AAT:
Animals can be incorporated into a variety
of different therapy programs. Here are some of the possible
goals:
Physical--improve fine and gross motor
skills, increase range of motion, improve gait and ambulation,
improve standing balance,
Mental/psychological/emtional--increase
verbal interaction between group members, increase attention,
increase self-esteem, reduce anxiety, improve ability
to relax/calm, decrease feelings of loneliness
Educational--increase language and reading
abilities, aid in improving memory retention, improve
knowledge of concepts
Motivational--improve willingness to participate,
improve interactive skills, improve interactions with
staff, and increase participation in exercise and other
functional activities.
Benefits of Animal
Assisted Therapy(AAT) :
Increased empathy--Empathy is identifying
and understanding the feelings and motives of others.
Studies report that children who live in homes where a
pet is considered an important member of the family are
more empathetic than children in homes without pets.
Outward focus--This
involves bringing individuals out of themselves. Individuals
with mental illness or low self-esteem tend to focus on
themselves; interactions with animals can help them focus
on their environment.
Development
of nurturing skills--Animals can help teach nurturing skills
through non-traditional means of learning.
Improved rapport
with staff
Increased acceptance
(of self, situation, condition)
Entertainment--Entertainment
offers an escape from issues and conditions in the real
world.
Socialization--Studies
indicate that when dogs and cats visit a facility, there
is more laughter and interaction among residents than during
any other entertainment or therapy time.
Mental stimulation--Increased
mental stimulation occurs because of the opportunities animals
provide for communicating with other people, recalling memories,
and entertainment.
Physiological benefits--Many peope are able to relax
more easily when animals are proesent. Tests have shown
that the decrease in heart rate and blood pressure can
be dramatic when an animal is present. Even watching fish
is an aquarium can be calming.
(exerpts taken from Delta Society's Pet Partners Team
Training Manual, 2007)
To learn more about
Delta Society's
Pet Partners Program , please click here
To register for Pet
Partners Team Training Course and Evaluation, please click
here
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Presentations are copyrighted and the property of Tammy Renaud, MA, OTR. Written permission from the author of the above presentations must be obtained to use information contained within.
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