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Effects Of Pet Facilitation On Social Interactions And Cardiovascular Responses Among Institutionalized Elderly, Katherine Hubbard Burkhalter

MSN Research Projects

This quasi-experimental study was designed to determine the psychosocial and physiological effects of pet-facilitated therapy upon a group of institutionalized elderly. The study population was comprised of 16 institutionalized elderly who were (a) oriented to person, place, and time; (b) mobile; and (c) physically able and willing to hold a live pet rabbit during 30 minutes of four group sessions. Researcher-designed tools and protocols were used in the study to record blood pressures, heart rates, and the number of social interactions during each group session. The subjects were randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group. Each group had …