Date Presented Accepted for AOTA INSPIRE 2021 but unable to be presented due to online event limitations.
The purpose of this research was to examine the efficacy of a 9-week equine-assisted program named "Horse in the Moment." Mixed-methodology research was conducted to explore the effectiveness of equine-assisted activities on quality of life (QOL) and relational skills for individuals diagnosed with dementia. Pre and post scores on World Health Organization QOL showed significant difference. Families of the participants also reported improvements in communication and socialization.
Primary Author and Speaker: Charmaine Lim
Additional Authors and Speakers: Manisha Sheth
BACKGROUND: In 2030, 80 million people are projected to develop some form of dementia worldwide (World Health Organization [WHO], 2019). Deterioration in memory, learning, and executive functioning are commonly associated with dementia, which often lead to decreased participation in valued activities. Based on literature review, there seemed to have a lack of evidence available on the effects of equine-assisted activities for individuals who suffer mild to moderate dementia. The research intended to advocate for occupational therapy where there was a need and gap in services.
PURPOSE: The purpose of the doctoral capstone project was to examine the effectiveness of equine-assisted activities in enhancing quality of life and relational skills for people with mild to moderate dementia.
DESIGN: A mixed-methods, pretest-posttest design was utilized. The inclusion criteria comprised of individuals between the ages of 65 and 85, who were ambulatory, and had a diagnosis of mild to moderate dementia. Participants should not have any co-morbidities that may interfere with safe participation in equine-assisted activities. Participants were recruited using flyers, through the phone, electronic mail, and face-to-face interactions in multiple memory care facilities within southern California. Total of four participants and their caregivers completed the ‘Horses in the Moment program’. The participants attended approximately 30-minutes long of equine assisted-activities, two times a week for a total of nine weeks. Activities included grooming, walking, feeding, and interacting with the horses which were based on what has been effective in literature (Dabelko-Schoeny et al., 2014).
METHOD: Quantitative data collection was completed using the WHO-QOL BREF which was administered at two different time points during the first and last week of the program. The Jeffrey’s Amazing Statistical Software ([JASP]; 2019) was used to analyze the data collected from the WHO-QOL BREF (1997). In addition, qualitative data collection was completed at three different time points during week one, six, and nine. Both the caregivers and the participants had different questionnaires to complete with similar questions. The responses were documented and were coded for emerging themes.
RESULTS: Quantitative: Results of the WHO-QOL BREF using a paired sample t-test showed that the total score for all four participants increased significantly from the pre-measure (M = 71.94, SD = 19.52) to post-measure (M = 77.13, SD = 21.29). For each of the four individual domains, however, there was not enough difference from pretest to posttest scores to consider any change statistically significant. P-values were as follows (p = 0.45, 0.98, 0.64, and 0.59) respectively for each domain of the WHO-QOL BREF (1997). Qualitative: Open-ended questionnaires were coded for emerging themes. Most frequent themes included 1) improvements in communication and socialization 2) enhancement in recall memory 3) increase in laughter 4) improvements in active participation. Both the caregivers and participants reported that participating in equine-assisted activities had led to increased interaction and overall well-being.
CONCLUSION: This research study showed that equine-assisted activities could potentially help improve quality of life and relationships for older adults with mild to moderate dementia. Despite the small sample size, the results show promising potential for occupational therapists to utilize equine-assisted activities as therapy media.
IMPACT: This study emphasized the importance of the role of occupational therapists in non-traditional settings specifically in older adults with dementia. It also promoted occupational therapy as a diverse and inclusive profession.
References
Dabelko-Schoeny, H., Phillips, G., Darrough, E., Deanna, S., Jarden, M., Johnson, D., & Lorch, G. (2014). Equine-assisted intervention for people with dementia. Anthrozoos, 27(1), 141–155. https://doi.org/10.2752/175303714x13837396326611
World Health Organization. (2019). Dementia. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia_x005F_x000C_
