Pet Therapy for Stressed CaregiversWork & Family Life - September 7, 2001
Originally Published: 09/01/2001. A caregiver with a dog may be living with a built-in support system, says psychologist Karen Allen, Ph.D., of the State University of New York at Buffalo. She studied 60 women and men who were caring for a spouse suffering from traumatic brain injury. All 60 caregivers had experienced stress-related increases in blood pressure and heart rate. Half of the group were asked to adopt a dog from a local animal shelter. For six months the caregivers wore ambulatory blood-pressure monitors, after which Dr. Allen found that those with dogs had significantly reduced blood pressure and heart-rate levels compared to those with no pets. The study supports previous findings of the therapeutic role of animal companions. |