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Canistherapy - as a part of nursing of elderly people in long term care
JENERÁLOVÁ, Marta
The present work deals with elderly people hospitalized in long term care departments (hereinafter referred to as LTC) where they often experience unpleasant feelings such as fear, anxiety or psychic lability. They can feel lonely, isolated, useless and incapable. In the theoretical part hereof the author has explained the term of canistherapy and its use in geriatrics. Next, the author has shed some more light on the relationship between a senior and a dog, the phenomenon of old age and aging, specific aspects of nursing in geriatrics. And also, the author has given an account of medical and social institutions which elderly people can use. The inquiry was carried out in the form of anonymous questionnaires with seniors hospitalized in LTC of the Třebíč Hospital and in LTC of the Havlíčkův Brod Hospital. This inquiry was then supplemented with moderated half-standardized interviews with hospitalized seniors in both LTC departments. The author set four goals in her work: Goal 1 is to chart the influence of canistherapy on progress in self-care of the sick seniors in LTC departments. Goal 2 is to chart the influence of canistherapy on progress in the hospitalization of seniors in LTC. Goal 3 is to find out the effects of canistherapy on nursing at the department with a canistherapy programme already going. And finally Goal 4 is to find out if seniors are aware of what canistherapy is about and if they are interested in introducing this therapy at their LTC department. These goals have been accomplished. Hypothesis No 1: ?Canistherapy leads to better self-care of the sick seniors in long term care departments,? has not been confirmed. Hypothesis No 2: ?Canistherapy leads to better results in the hospitalization of seniors in long term care departments,? has been confirmed. Hypothesis No 3: ?Canisthrapy has positive effects on nursing of the sick seniors at long term care departments with a canistherapy programme already going,? has not been confirmed. Hypothesis No 4: ?Seniors are aware of what canistherapy is about,? has been confirmed. Hypothesis No 5: ?Seniors are interested in introducing this therapy at their long term therapy department where it has not been introduced yet,? has been confirmed. The results of the present work have been passed over to the long term care departments where the inquiry took place. Containing valuable information, the results will help the LTC departments in their further work and as a motivation to other activities in long term care. Furthermore, the author has created an information brochure for nurses which has also been handed over to the LTC units where the inquiry took place.
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