Introduction

From a young age I have always had a love for animals, frequently escaping away from my Mother during a super market visit, to hug a strange dog tied up outside. When I wasn't playing with my dolls, I was wrapping the families persain cat, Oscar, up in a blanket, placing him in my bram, and walking around the house like he was my own baby. The first animal which had a significant influence in my childhood was Milly, a black miniature poodle. I was six years old when we brought her home, and for the next 16 years we were inseparable. Words cannot express what an amazing dog she was. I put her in the baby swing at the park and she would happily sit there being pushed while her ears flapped in the wind. She let me do crazy things like that to her on a daily basis. Like when I thought I was a trainee, working at the circus and she was my lion, we would do performances for my parents and again she would happily play along. She was there every step of the way throughout my childhood, and through my teens, it was Milly who lay be side me through break ups and never judged me as I was burning photos of ex boyfriends, instead she softly graced up beside me put a smile on my face and got me out of the house. She is the reason why I write this post now.  

Being the enthusiastic second year that I was, I attended the honour students presentations. It was here that I first learnt about Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT). My knowledge of this topic was extremely limited, I had a brief understanding however was left feeling immensely intrigued. When the opportunity came where I was able to incorporate my passion for animals and my chosen profession, needless to say study didn't seem quite so tedious. The purpose of this blog is to research a topic in relationship to Occupational Therapy (OT) which interests me, and will bring my study to a close in two months time.  

So here is what I know so far......... 

AAT is a type of therapy that involves animals as a form of treatment. An overall goal is to improve a patients physcial, social, emotional, or cognitive functioning. As an Occupational Therapist (OT), one aims to enable and empower people to be competent and confident in their daily lives . So exactly how does AAT fit within the scope of OT? Over the next two months  my posts will explore types of AAT in relation to OT, where I aim at concluding my research by drawing on my own professional opinion and perception on what I have learnt.   

Defining animal assisted therapy

For those of us who have been exposed to animals, we know the impact they have had on our lives. However can the same sense of companionship, unconditional love, and the ability to change ones mood be transferred into therapy?

It can be quite a confusing topic, determining the difference between therapy dogs, assistance dogs and animal assisted therapy. After asking a number of people it seems the general consensus is people associate the above three topics to dogs which help individuals perform a task which they wouldn't be capable of achieving. This isn't necessarily wrong, however there are distinctive deferences between the three. 

Pet therapy
This is therapy where personal pets who are trained to bring smiles, joy and therapeutic benefits to those in need. 

Here is a link for a video that shows pet therapy in a children's hospital Pet Therapy

Assistance Dogs 

This is any dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. Assistance dogs aid people with disabilities in their every day life

For example: Guide dogs, hearing dogs, mobility dogs, and epilepsy assist dogs. 

Here is a link to the New Zealand Assistance dog trust Website

Here is a great example of what these amazing dogs can do Tribute to an Assistance Dog

Animal Assisted Therapy(AAT) 

Is a goal directed intervention in which an animal is incorporated as an integral part of the clinical health care treatment process (Fine, 2006). The aim of AAT is to improve a patients mental, physical, social, and emotional functioning while utilizing the animal as a therapeutic tool (Fine, 2006). 

Types of animals used:

*Dogs
*Cats
*Rabbits
*Horses
*Birds
*Dophins

Here is a great example of AAT Payton the wonder dog

I hope this helps to explain the deference between the three therapies. 
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 Reference List 

Fine, A.H. (2010) (Ed.). Handbook on animal-assisted therapy: Theoretical foundation guidelines for practice. USA: Academic Press. 

Animal Assisted Therapy within Pediatrics

For the majority of us, we take for granted the ability to be able to read social cues, build relationships, and express ourselves. Can you imagine being confined to the four walls of your hospital bedroom, receiving constant injections and ongoing tests, only to be still connected to a machine, or restrained to a wheel chair.... dealing with all this and your only a child. There are a varity of conditions which affect children, however for the purpose of this post I have selected Autism, Cerebral Palsy, and Cancer to write about.

Autism

According to the American Psychiatric Association (1994) Autism is a profound development disorder characterized by severe impairments in social behavious, and in communication, and by restricted or stereotyped interests and behavious. Within the field of Occupational Therapy, most commonly used framework for treating Autism is sensory integration theory (Watling, Deitz, Kanny, & McLaughlin, 1999). This framework address' how problems with sensory perception and integration interfere with the ablility to attend and respond appropriately to complex stimuli in the environment, making organised behaviour difficult. It was Fortney, Sams and Willenbring's belief that animal assited therapy could be a natural extension of the philosophy of sensory integration. It was this belief which lead to a pilot study involving 22 children diagnosised with Autism, comparing normal Occupational therapy, to therapy including animals. Results indicate the use of language increased and social interaction also increased during therapy involving animals, over therapy without animals. According to Fortney, Sams and Willenbring (2006) the therapist was able to engage creatively with the child and encourage reinforcing activities that facilitated their growth and development at an appropriate level of challenge. The writers propose this may be a result of the natural tendency for children, with and without autism to   respond positively to animals within their environment (Fortney, Sams and Willenbring, 2006). Therefore incorporating animals into Occupational Therapy for children with autism provides individuals the ability to interpret and respond to less complex social and behavioural cues of animals. This begins to build a bridge of learning by enabling children to transfer the knowledge of, social and behavioural cues towards the interaction with humans.

Cerebral Palsy

During my second year studying Occupational Therapy in Dunedin, on brisk saturday mornings while every other student was sleeping, my flat mate and I would drag our selfs out of bed, drive towards Mosgiel to our destination. A calm and peaceful valley was where we spent our Saturday mornings volunteering for riding with the disabled. I was amazed and incredibly inspired to see children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) on top of a horse. Naturally, when I picked this topic to blog about, the children with cerebral palsy riding the horses were my first thought. Since my experience during volunteering I have now learnt this........  

Cerebral Palsy is a disorder that effects muscle tone, movement and motor skills. According to All,  Loving & Crane (1999) Hippotherapy is a common part of AAT, and used frequently for children with CP..... Wait wait wait, not that hippo, the term derived from the latin word hippos, meaning horse. The aim of this intervention is not riding skills but to improve the individuals posture, balance, mobility and function.

Cancer

No child or family should have to suffer through the diagnosis of cancer, or the treatment, but unfortunately childhood cancer is a reality. A side from the primary diagnosis, one of the worst side effects of pediatric cancer is fear, and the stress in which this fear produces, hinders the overall treatment. Therefore reducing fear and stress will have a positive outcome. Accoridng to Bouchard, Landry, belles-Isles & Gagnon (2004) adapting the environment within the hospital by introducing animals, in particular trained dogs, has a significant influence in treatment. This is seen through elevating children and their families mood, motivating active participation, and addressing loneliness.

Wrap up 

From children with Autism who are unable to pick out social cues from peers and family members, studies suggest the presence of an animal during therapy has a significant improvement in their overall interpretation of social cues. Children with CP improving their posture, balance and mobility. And children suffering cancer, have an increase in mood due to the involvement with an animal. From physical to psychological benefits it is clear that AAT is a positive influence for children with disabilities.

Here are some clips I found that I just needed to share.

1) The dog who can surf- An incredibly touching video about a dog who was unable to become a service dog, but instead found a purpose allowing children with a disability to do the impossible and surf.

2) Henry- Helps to develop a young boy with Autism.

3) Horses making a difference- An inspiring women talks about the benefits of hippotherapy.


What do you think? Have you seen animals being used in therapy?

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                                      Reference List

All, A. C., Loving, G. L., & Crane, L. L. (1999). Animals, horseback riding, and implications for rehabilition therapy. Journal of Rehabilitation, 65, 49-57.

American Psychiatric Association. 1994. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 4th Ed. Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association.

Bouchard, F., Landry, M., Belles-Isles, M., & Gagnon, J. (2004). A magical dream: A pilot project in animal-assisted therapy in pediatric oncology. Canadian Oncology Nursing Journal, 14(1), 14-17.

Sams, M. J., Fortney, E. V., & Willenbring, S. (2006). Occupational therapy incorporating        animals for children with autism: A pilot investigation. American Occupational Therapy Association, 60, 268–274.

Watling, R., Deitz, J., Kanny, E. M., & McLaughlin, J. F. (1999). Current practice of occupational therapy for children with autism. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 53, 498–505.

Animal's helping those with a mental illness

We have all all felt stressed, unproductive, and unwell numerous times within our life's. For many of us though, we have solutions on how to manage this. For those living with a mental illness, they loose the ability to problem solve, plan, engage in relationships and so forth.

Mental Illness' include Alzheimer's/Dementia, schizophrenia, trauma, depression, phobias, addiction, and many more.

Krawer (2009) states AAT has a positive reputation for increasing social interaction and decreasing agitation in both Dementia and Alzheimer's. By utilising a range of dog stimuli such as a puppy video, a real dog, a robotic dog, colouring dog pictures, and a toy dog, Marx et al (2010) found the nursing residential home which was introduced to this stimuli within their environment scored higher on cognitive functions and daily living activities, then the rest home which was not exposed to the stimuli.

Individuals living with schizophrenia often have difficulty in coping with everyday stressors; suffer from emotional withdrawal and poor social functioning, particularly those living in an institutionalized setting (Iwahashi, et all. 2007). Kovacs et al (2004) found after patients spend 50 minutes a week, over nine months with a dog, what evolved was; patients sharing their feelings, concentration increased, developed social interaction. However more importantly, results showed that the positive effects of the AAT lasted beyond the therapy sessions and into everyday life of the patients.

Since researching animal assisted therapy I have read a number of articles which have highlighted how using an animal during therapy has been a great 'ice breaker'. Im sure a number of therapist's around the world have struggled connecting with some of their patients. Lefkowitz et al (2005) found this and began introducing her German Shepherd into group therapy. She found victims of sexual abuse were able to express their feelings easier when the dog was around.

Depression can frequently occur as a secondary condition to many illnesses, but for many, it is the primary disorder effecting individuals world wide, impacting significantly on their occupations of daily living. A common symptom of depression can be the desire to want to stay at home, an individual lacks strive and motivation to leave the house. Antonioli & Reveley (2005) conducted a study in the aim at researching the effect dolphin's have on individuals with depression. Using a biophilla therory, which is........ The need for growing the capacity for love as a basis of our mental health and emotional wellbeing, this expression shows how human health and wellbeing are strictly dependent on our relationships with the natural environment (Kelert, 1997). This being said, by changing an individuals environment and using an animal to facilitate change and growth therefore decreases symptoms experienced in depression. This is exactly what Antonioli & Reveley (2005) found out. When individuals were exposed to interactions with bottle nose dolphins, over the group only exposed to an environment which included swimming amongst  the coral reef and no interaction with dolphins, symptoms decreased greatly for the group exposed to interactions with dolphins.

Although this study suggests an extreme solution to decreasing the symptoms of depression, the cost and transport to the destination is enough to put a lot of people off. However after reading the article you get the sense that yes, environment does play a significant roll for individuals with depression, by changing the environment and including an animal, it could be proposed that this too decreases the symptoms of depression.

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Antonioli, C. Reveley, M. (2005). Randomised controlled trial of animal facilitated therapy with dolphins in the treatment of depression. Journal of BMJ, 26 (11). 1-13.

Lefkowitz, C., Prout, M., Bleiberg, J., Paharia, I., Debiak, D. “Animal- Assisted Prolonged Exposure: A Treatment fo Survivors of Sexual Assault Suffering Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.” Society & Animals 13, no. 4 (2005): 275-295.

Kellert SR. Kinship to mastery. Biophilia in human evolution and development Washington DC: Island Press, 1997. 3115.

Kovacs, Z., Kis, R., Rozsa, S., Rozsa, L. “Animal-assisted therapy for middle-aged schizophrenic patients living in a social institution. A pilot study.” Clinical Rehabilitation 18 (2004): 483-486.

Iwahashi, K., Waga, C., and Ohta, M. “Questionnaire on Animal- Assisted Therapy (AAT): The expectation for AAT as a day-care program for Japanese schizophrenic patients.” International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice 11, no. 4 (2007): 291-293.

Marx, M.S., Cohen-Mansfield, J., Riger, N.G., Dakheel-Ali, M., Srihari, A., Thein, K. “The Impact of Different Dog-Related Stimuli on Engagement of Persons with Dementia.” American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and other Dementias 25, no. 1 (Feb 2010): 37-45.

Kramer, S.C., Friedmann, E., Bernstein, P.L. “Comparison of the Effect of Human Interaction, Animal-Assisted Therapy, and AIBO- Assisted Therapy on Long-Term Care Residents with Dementia.” Anthrozoos 22, no. 1 (2009): 43-57.

Animals helping elderly face loneliness

Is there such a thing as growing old successfully? It is however a reality to life, it is something we all face and we all have our own opinions on the topic. Some look at growing old as a hassle, a reminder of our increasing physically and mental decline, and the withdrawal from society. And then others few it as something beautiful. Where does the truth lie? I think each persons experience of growing old will be unique, different for us all. Old age can be characterized by increasing losses; physical health, loss of income, and the break down of social relationships. 

It does not surprise me the positive impact animals can have on the elderly. Craig & Mountain (2007) report when dogs were introduced to group activities in a rest home verbal interactions increased significantly with the presence of a dog. Animals, in this situation dogs, provide a comfort environment that conducive to the therapeutic goal of facilitating social interactions.

While Craig & Mountain (2007) focused on social interaction Banks & Banks (2002) were interested in whether animals can improve loneliness within the elderly population for long term care facilities. Using a UCLA.LS loneliness scale results revealed a positive trend that the presence of an animal reduces loneliness among residents in long term care facilities.  

It saddens me when I visit my Grandma in her rest home, she is 86 years old, functional and cognitively manages higher than many her age. However for many residents in the same rest home it is a different story. Unable to provide you with an expression when you say "hello" or "nice day isn't it". Robb, Boyd & Pristash (1980) investigated the effects of specific objects in fostering social interactions among elderly. Objects such as wine bottle, plant and a caged puppy were presented in a sequence to elderly residents. It was the caged puppy which received the most attention. Responding through social behaviors, such as verbalizes, smiles, looking toward the object, open eyes and leaning towards the cage. These results suggest, bringing a puppy/dog to a group session with elderly increase their social behavior. They are more likely engage in conversation, and appear more interested (Robb, Boyd & Pristash, 1980). 

These studies indicate the positive influence which animals have for elderly. I can understand how it would be incredible hard to accept your life is now changing. My Grandma is often telling me to "enjoy life while you are young, theres so many things you cant do when you get old". The simple presence from an animal can spark a little bit more life out of individuals reflecting on the past, and things they wish they had of done. 

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Reference List 

Bustad. I.. K. (1980). Animals aging and the aged. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. 

Craig, C. & Mountain, G. (2007). Lifestyle matters: An occupational approach to healthy ageing. UK: Speechmark Publishing Ltd.

Robb, S, Boyd, M., & Pristash, C. L. (1980). A wine bottle.plant, and purpy-caralysts for social behavior. Journal of Gerontological Nursing. 6. 721-720.

A dolphin named Winter

I am currently in my second week of my holidays, and two days ago while I was relaxing on the couch, flicking through the channels on the T.V, I came across the movies. 'A dolphin tale' had just started, it looked like your typical cheesy, family movie. Ha what more could a girl want for a bit of afternoon entertainment. The more I watched the more I began realising this was longer your average cheesy, family movie but an extremely touching story with huge connection to animal assisted therapy and occupational therapy. Here is a link to the movie A dolphin tale
                                                                      

                                                                       WINTER

At only four months old, Winter was trapped in a crab trap line and was unable to escape. She was rescued and brought to Clear Water Marine (CWM), where she was put through an intense rehab, after losing her tail and two vertebrate. Many dolphins unfortunately die when they get caught in the same trap Winter was. But her ability to adapt to new physical form and a new swim pattern has surpassed expectations of many expects.

Not only is it remarkable that Winter survived her injuries BUT she also excepted a prosthetic tail.

Here is a link to the website where you are able to see the full story and a descriptive explanation about how her prosthetic tail came about. You are also able to see a webcam of Winter. Website TIP- Dont forget about time deference, depending where you live in the world, winter might be out of action due to the time!!

Although Winter incorporates AAT into her interactions with people she also offers so much more. It can be an extremely long, and tough journey for anyone experiencing a disability, the young and old. For those of us who still have both legs and arms, who aren't bound by a wheel chair, it is incredible hard for us to understand the struggles those individuals face who have lost a limb, or who have a condition which stops them from walking. Unless this is what you deal with every day, it is impossible to know how hard it really is. When individuals who suffer a disability get in the water with Winter everything changes. There is instantly a mutual understanding between human and dolphin, although she doesn't necessarily verbally talk, her interactions, and her touch, is all that is needed to show she too understands what it it like. Winter helps motivate those who have a disability. She is a reminder that anything is possible, and with a bit of help along the way, you too can make a difference.

Here is an example of Winter doing all the above Winter

And finally- I recommend that you watch 'A dolphin tale'. It may not be receiving the next oscar for best movie, and the main characters are not up for best actor or actress, but what it leaves you with is hope, inspiration, a tear here and there, and most importantly it makes you think about the huge accomplishments those with a disability achieve on a daily basis.

Reflection- This is just the beginning

                      "Until one has loved an animal a part of one's soul remains unawakened"
                                                                        Anatole France

As I sit here reminiscing over the past two months, and putting what I have learnt into prospective into my own life, the numerous times my dogs have assisted me achieve some form of goal, or greeted me no matter what mistake I had just done, I feel extremely lucky to have had that in my life. I choose Occupational Therapy (OT) as a career after my Father suffered a stroke, hard to believe it was ten years ago and I am only weeks away from completely my degree. I wanted to help people, the way the amazing OT's helped my Dad, and enabled him to walk again, go back to work, play golf, drive a car and most importantly, stay being Dad. Three years ago I never would have thought I could incorporate my love and passion for animals into a career which is already so incredible rewarding.

Three days ago I was lucky enough to attend a talk by Belinda Simpson, an OT working in New Zealand and using animals as interventions for many of her clients. It was amazing to see Tana, her golden retriever in action and the things he could do. My older posts have explained a variety of settings and types of goals which clients achieve, due to the interaction, presence, and touch from an animal. Although there is a solid amount of research out there, suggesting the benefits of AAT, unfortunately New Zealand has not quite got there yet. There is very little websites which explain AAT and advertise this type of therapy. Off course there are sites explaining pet therapy and assistance dogs, but as we learnt from post 2, there if a number of differences which separate them all.

I asked a question on my first post, "Is there a place for Animal Assisted therapy in Occupational Therapy". I can quite confidently say ABSOLUTELY. Over the course of my training, my lectures have spent a great deal entrenching appropriate interventions into us, such as; environmental modifications, activity analysis, meaning occupation and so on. I hope one day, animal assisted therpay is as recognized as the above mentioned.  

Animals, no matter what size, colour, or type have the ability to work silent miracles. In their presence individuals are able to accomplish the unthinkable and surprise even themselves as they find a new piece of motivation within them.

I hope you have enjoyed this topic as much as I have. Watch this space, within three years I aim to be a practicing Occupational therapist and working alone side me, will be my golden retriever 'Baxter'. To add to my bucket list of wishes, I will also visit Winter- Better start saving!!!!!!

This is just the beginning of great things for New Zealand and Animal Assisted Therapy, I hope in my profession I add to the growing body of research, and continue to make a difference incorporating animals into practice.