Marks Genée, McVilly Keith R
School of Education, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia.
School of Social & Political Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
Animals (Basel). 2023 Feb 21;13(5):777. doi: 10.3390/ani13050777.
There is growing evidence for trained assistance dogs promoting the health, wellbeing, and quality of life of people in a variety of circumstances, including for those with dementia. Little is known about people with younger (early)-onset dementia (YOD) and family carers. As part of a larger study involving 14 people with YOD matched with trained assistance dogs over a two-year period, we report analyses of interviews with 10 family carers conducted on multiple occasions investigating their experience with an assistance dog. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and subjected to inductive thematic analysis. They told a range of experiences; the good and the challenging. Findings fell into three areas: the human-animal bond; relationship dynamics; and responsibility for caring. Concerns were raised with respect to the resources required of carers together with the financial resources needed to support an assistance dog. The study concludes that trained assistance dogs can play an important role promoting the health and wellbeing of both people with YOD and of their family carers. However, support needs to be in place as the circumstances of the family member with YOD changes and the role of the assistance dog as part of the family also changes. Practical (financial) support of a scheme such as the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) could be important to sustaining such support.
越来越多的证据表明,经过训练的辅助犬在各种情况下都能促进人们的健康、幸福和生活质量,包括对患有痴呆症的人。对于早发性痴呆症(YOD)患者及其家庭护理人员,我们了解得很少。作为一项为期两年的大型研究的一部分,该研究涉及14名患有YOD的人与经过训练的辅助犬配对,我们报告了对10名家庭护理人员进行多次访谈的分析结果,调查他们与辅助犬相处的经历。访谈进行了录音、转录,并进行了归纳主题分析。他们讲述了一系列的经历,有好的也有具有挑战性的。研究结果分为三个方面:人犬关系;关系动态;以及护理责任。人们对护理人员所需的资源以及支持一只辅助犬所需的财政资源表示担忧。该研究得出结论,经过训练的辅助犬在促进患有YOD的人和他们的家庭护理人员的健康和幸福方面可以发挥重要作用。然而,随着患有YOD的家庭成员情况的变化以及辅助犬作为家庭一部分的角色的变化,需要提供相应的支持。像澳大利亚国家残疾保险计划(NDIS)这样的计划提供实际(财政)支持对于维持这种支持可能很重要。
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