Improving Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms and Cognitive Status of Participants with Dementia Through the Use of Therapeutic Interactive Pets.
Bryanna Streit LaRose, Lisa Kirk Wiese, María de Los Ángeles Ortega Hernández
PMID 34644221WHAT IT FOUND
Memory and overall mood-behavior scores did not show clear improvement after robotic cat visits in 12 adults with dementia at a day center, although observed mood and depression-risk scores changed favorably.
Key findings
01Eight participants scored higher on the memory test after the intervention, with mean scores of 10.7 before and 12.2 after, but subscale changes were not strong enough to indicate significance.
02AD-RD mood and behavior scores averaged 93.5 before and 99.1 after, a six-point change that was not significant (p = .304).
03Observed emotion scores increased over time for pleasure, anxiety, and alertness, and depression-risk scores were reported as 8.8 before and 1.3 after (p = .002); the paper states lower scores indicate less depression risk.
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How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 12 participants took part, and there was no comparison group. Changes cannot be separated from repeated testing, group activity, staff attention, or time. Participants were selected by staff as a good fit and were not randomly assigned, so results may not apply to all adults with dementia. Different people gave the memory test before and after, and the post-test was done immediately after the visit, which may have affected scores. External events such as a tornado warning, falls, hip pain, and loud music were noted as possible influences on mood scores. The paper gives conflicting visit frequency. It says 4 days a week and also two times a week. Some positive results were on observational scales, while the memory and overall mood-behavior changes were not significant.
Declared interests
The authors declared no competing financial interests or personal relationships.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the favorable mood and depression-risk scores as proof that robotic cats improve dementia symptoms. This was a 12-person pre-post project with no control group, and memory and overall mood-behavior changes were not significant.