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The Impact of Companion Dogs on Physical Activity in Older Adults who Live Alone
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Abstract
The aging population in the United States is rapidly increasing, and with it, the prevalence of chronic diseases and social isolation among older adults. The purpose of this thesis was to examine whether older adults who live alone are more bonded to their dogs and get more physical activity through their canine companions compared to those who do not live alone. This thesis used secondary data from two studies conducted at the Behavioral Medicine Lab at UMass Amherst. The study focuses on the relationships between living arrangements, marital status, and perceived isolation with the strength of the dog-owner bond, as well as physical activity levels through dog walking. Participants logged their physical activities, including dog walking, for 7 consecutive days. Due to the skewness of the dependent variables and the small sample size, the Mann–Whitney U test was utilized to assess the associations between living status, marital status, and perceived isolation with the strength of the dog owner bond, minutes of dog walking per week, and average number of dog walking steps per day. Of the 27 participants= (mean age 69.9 ± 6.7years ;59.2% female), 29.6% lived alone, 44.4% were unmarried, divorced, or widowed and 59.3% were v grouped into the less isolation group. On average, participants walked their dogs for 211.7 ± 284.5 minutes per week, taking 1579.2 ± 2970.9 dog walking steps per day. Statistical analyses revealed no significant differences in the strength of the dog owner bond or physical activity levels (minutes of dog walking per week and average daily dog walking steps) between older adults living alone and those living with others. Similarly, no significant associations were found between marital status or perceived isolation and the dog-owner bond or physical activity levels. While the study found no significant associations within this sample, existing literature suggests dog ownership can enhance physical activity and reduce loneliness, particularly in single-occupancy households. This research highlights the potential benefits of companion dogs for promoting successful aging by increasing physical activity and social connectedness. Future research with larger, more diverse samples and those who are socially isolated is needed to better understand the impact of dog ownership on community dwelling older adults who live alone.
Type
Thesis (Open Access)
Date
2024-09
Publisher
Degree
Advisors
License
Attribution 4.0 International
License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/