Caring for horses could ease the symptoms of Alzheimer's and dementia.
Members of Ohio State University teamed up with caretakers from an equine therapy center and adult daycare center to help Alzheimer's patients feed, groom, and walk horses, an Ohio State University news release reported.
"We wanted to test whether people with dementia could have positive interactions with horses, and we found that they can-absolutely," Holly Dabelko-Schoeny, associate professor of social work at Ohio State, said in the news release. "The experience immediately lifted their mood, and we saw a connection to fewer incidents of negative behavior."
People with Alzheimer's often experience both memory loss and personality changes, working with horses could help ease those symptoms.
"Our focus is on the 'now.' What can we do to make them feel better and enjoy themselves right now? Even if they don't remember it later, how can we help in this moment?" Holly Dabelko-Schoeny said.
The study included 16 participants who would work with the horses once a week for a month. They were encouraged to groom, bathe, and feed the horses.
The participants appeared to enjoy their time on the farm and were witnessed smiling and laughing. Some patients that were normally withdrawn appeared to be a lot more outgoing and interactive than usual.
To track the patients' progress the researchers employed the Modified Nursing Home Behavior Problem Scale; this measured how often the patients "fidgeted, resisted care, became upset or lost their temper on days they went to the farm or stayed at the center," the news release reported.
The participants' score improved throughout the day when they were brought to the farm.
The researchers also took mouth swabs from the patients to measure the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. The patients with dementia showed a rise in levels, indicating "good stress" associated with being in a new and exciting situation.
The therapy was also shown to boost physical activity, which could lead to a number of health benefits.
"I think another positive influence for these clients was the environment. They found the quietness and smells of the country very relaxing and restful. This was in contrast to their normal day care environment and their intercity dwelling," Gwendolen Lorch, assistant professor of veterinary clinical medicine at Ohio State and co-author of the study, said in the news release. "It is difficult to tell what factors made this successful, but we do know that it was most likely a combination of events."
