Source: Health Day
A new pilot study finds that therapy dogs can significantly reduce loneliness among people hospitalized for acute mental illness. Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University assigned 60 psychiatric inpatients to one of three groups: visits from a therapy dog and handler, visits from a handler alone, or standard care. Participants received 20-minute visits daily for three days and completed loneliness and mental health assessments before and after. While loneliness decreased across all groups, patients visited by therapy dogs experienced the greatest improvement, suggesting dogs provide benefits beyond human interaction alone.
Loneliness is linked to serious health risks, including heart disease, dementia, depression, substance relapse and premature death, making interventions especially important for vulnerable hospitalized patients. Researchers note dogs may reduce stress and act as social “icebreakers.” The Dogs on Call program also ensures positive experiences for the animals. Further research is needed to understand exactly how therapy dogs combat loneliness and support mental health recovery.