Animal-assisted therapy and nutrition in Alzheimer's disease

This study examined the influence of animal-assisted therapy, specifically fish aquariums, oil nutritional intake in individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Sixty-two individuals with AD who lived in specialized units were studied. Baseline nutritional data Were obtained followed by a 2-week treatment period it,hen the aquariums were introduced, The treatment data were collected daily for 2 weeks then weekly for 6 weeks. Nutritional intake increased significantly (21.1%; p < .001) when the aquariums were introduced and continued to increase during the 6-week weekly follow-up. Weight increased significantly (1.65 lbs; p < .001) over the 16-week period. In addition, participants required less nutritional supplementation, resulting in health care cost savings.