Improving Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms and Cognitive Status of Participants with Dementia through the Use of Toy Interactive Pets

Background:
In the US, one in three older adults die with Alzheimer’s or related dementia (Gaugler et al.,
2019). Currently, there is no cure for the rapidly growing burden, but there are pharmacological
treatments to manage the symptoms, which lead to numerous side effects (Kales et al., 2015).
Method:
We tested the effectiveness of a non-pharmacological toy interactive pet (TIP) in improving
mood/behavior and cognition among twelve persons with mild-severe dementia attending an
adult day center (ADC) over 12 visits. Mood/behavioral symptoms were assessed using the
Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Mood Scale (AD-RD), Observed Emotion Rating
Scale (OERS), and the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD). Cognition was
assessed via Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Paired-sample t-tests, Pearson’s
correlation, repeated measures t-test, and a post-intervention qualitative inquiry were used to
examine the significance of TIP.
Results:
All mood scores improved over time, with two showing significance: OERS (M = 73.7/SD=9.6);
conditions t(11) = -19.18, p<.001, and CSDD (M = 8.8/SD = 7.2); conditions t(11) = 4.12,
p=.002. Over half (0.67%) scored higher on the MMSE post-test than the pre-test: M =10.7(SD =
5.5) and M =12.2(SD=7.1), respectively. Participants stroked and spoke often to their pets.
Several family members reported participants sleeping with their pet following the program’s
conclusion.