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Influence of an Equine-Assisted Activities Program on Dementia-Specific Quality of Life.
Abstract: Institutional facilities face challenges providing experiences to residents with dementia that promote participation in meaningful activities. Guided by the Lived Environment Life Quality Model, this study investigated associations between 9 different activity situations-one an equine-assisted activities program (EAAP)-and positive, negative, and neutral behavioral indicators of quality of life (QoL) in 6 residents with dementia who expressed an interest in horses. Direct observational data were collected for 4 hours twice weekly over 8 weeks. Using χ tests, differences across activity situations were tested. More positive patterns of time use (conversation; χ = 44.3, P < .001) and emotional well-being (pleasure; χ = 21.8, P = .001) were found in EAAP compared to other activity situations. Further, EAAP was the only activity situation associated with all positive QoL indicators. These findings add to our understanding the importance of providing meaningful activities that promote use of abilities and provide environmental support, for enhancing QoL, especially for institutionalized people with dementia.
Publication Date: 2018-05-09 PubMed ID: 29742908DOI: 10.1177/1533317518772052Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Observational Study
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This research explores the effects of an equine-assisted activities program (EAAP) on the quality of life (QoL) for residents with dementia in an institutional setting. The study reports that EAAP was associated with more positive behaviors and emotional well-being, emphasizing the need for meaningful activities to help maintain and improve QoL for people with dementia.
Research Methodology
- The study was carried out under the guidance of the Lived Environment Life Quality Model.
- It included six residents with dementia from institutional facilities who expressed an interest in horses. The participants were observed during nine different activity situations— with one specifically being the equine-assisted activities program.
- The observational data was collected over eight weeks, with data collection sessions taking place twice a week for four hours each time.
Findings
- The χ tests were used to check differences across activities, particularly looking at behaviors which indicated positive, negative, and neutral quality of life.
- The equine-assisted activities program tended to encourage more positive patterns of time use, as shown by the increased level of conversation (χ = 44.3, P < .001), and improved emotional well-being, with increased feelings of pleasure (χ = 21.8, P = .001).
- Indeed, the EAAP was the only situation that was associated with all positive quality of life indicators.
Implications
- The research highlights the crucial role of meaningful activities, such as the EAAP, in improving the quality of life for people with dementia in institutional settings.
- The results suggest that programs promoting the use of abilities and providing environmental support—like the EAAP—can significantly enhance the quality of life for people with dementia.
- This strengthens the argument for incorporating such programs into the routine care practices for people with dementia.
In conclusion, this study provides crucial insights into the beneficial effects of equine-assisted activities on the well-being of dementia patients, paving the way for more holistic, engaging therapies in dementia care.
Cite This Article
APA
Fields B, Bruemmer J, Gloeckner G, Wood W.
(2018).
Influence of an Equine-Assisted Activities Program on Dementia-Specific Quality of Life.
Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen, 33(5), 309-317.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1533317518772052 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- 1 Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- 2 Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
- 3 School of Education, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
- 4 Department of Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Aged, 80 and over
- Animals
- Dementia / psychology
- Dementia / therapy
- Female
- Horses
- Humans
- Long-Term Care
- Male
- Nursing Homes
- Quality of Life / psychology
- Recreation / psychology
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Marchand WR. Potential Mechanisms of Action and Outcomes of Equine-Assisted Services for Veterans with a History of Trauma: A Narrative Review of the Literature. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2023 Jul 16;20(14).
- Shoesmith E, Surr C, Ratschen E. Animal-assisted and robotic animal-assisted interventions within dementia care: A systematic review. Dementia (London) 2023 Apr;22(3):664-693.
- Badin L, Alibran É, Pothier K, Bailly N. Effects of equine-assisted interventions on older adults' health: A systematic review. Int J Nurs Sci 2022 Oct;9(4):542-552.
- Marchand WR, Andersen SJ, Smith JE, Hoopes KH, Carlson JK. Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies for Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Current State, Challenges and Future Directions. Chronic Stress (Thousand Oaks) 2021 Jan-Dec;5:2470547021991556.
- D'Cunha NM, Isbel S, McKune AJ, Kellett J, Naumovski N. Activities outside of the care setting for people with dementia: a systematic review. BMJ Open 2020 Oct 6;10(10):e040753.
- Akintola AA, Achterberg WP, Caljouw MAA. Non-pharmacological interventions for improving quality of life of long-term care residents with dementia: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open 2019 Dec 23;9(12):e032661.
- Kowalski H, Van Buiten H, Hopkins P, Baldwin C, Nazarenko E, Marchand WR. A Multi-Site Observational Evaluation of the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association Model of Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy for Veteran Trauma Survivors. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2025 Oct 13;22(10).
- Badin L, Pothier K, Agli O, Van Dendaele E, Guillou G, Ventalon G, Bailly N. Equine-Assisted Interventions and Physical Health in Older Adults: A Meta-Analysis. Sage Open Aging 2025 Jan-Dec;11:23337214241298342.
- Amado-Fuentes M, Denche-Zamorano A, Barrios-Fernandez S, Gozalo M. Bibliometric Analysis on Equine-Assisted Interventions. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jun 13;14(12).
- Sebalj M, Lakhani A, Grindrod A, Stuckey R. Equine-assisted services for people living with dementia: a systematic review. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024 Apr 9;16(1):76.
- Hanson MR, Alm K, Fields B, Gabriels R, Schmid AA, Stallones L, Peters BC. The potential usefulness of standardized assessments to measure participant outcomes of adaptive/therapeutic horseback riding: a survey study. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1303991.
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