Animal assisted therapy (AAT) is a key component of the Lakeview Ranch model of specialized care for persons with dementia-related behavioral challenges. Numerous benefits from AAT have been documented at Lakeview Ranch, including increasing resident's social interaction and communication and reducing their agitation and anxiety levels. Introducing effective Animal Assisted therapy, however, requires consideration of a number of challenges -- including health issues, regulations, the attitude of staff members, program costs. In addition, as identified in the current study, there are important nuances to consider with regard to the type of animals and inter-species activities that are involved. The current study examines the lessons learned from ten years of providing animal assisted therapy in a specialized dementia care setting.
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