The present research approaches the perspective of the multiple functions of the rural space and the agricultural, investigating the amplitude of the notion of multifuncionality with empirical focus in the study of the therapeutical practices which use the rural spaces and farming activities in the central region of the Rio Grande do Sul - Brazil. The research objectives had been to identify, to describe, to c1assify and to characterize these different modalities of therapies, aiming identify the directions that the involved professionals and public gives to this therapeutical practice based on farming activities and for to the rural spaces. The principal methods and inquiring techniques, which had been used, were questionnaire, the participant observation, the half-structuralized interview and the analysis of speech. In the set of the thirty- five cities of the investigated central region of Rio Grande do Sul it had been identified nine establishments, located in seven different districts, which develop farming activities on/or to the basis of agricultural spaces. The nine establishments had been classified in three different modalities of therapeutical practice, being they: (1) Therapeutical communities for the rehabilitation and social reiteration of the psychoactive substance addicted; (2) Centers of Equotherapy, taking care of special people with disabilities and/or physical and motor problems, with the intention of education, rehabilitation and the quality of life improvement of the practitioners; (3) Energization Therapy, directed to a large public, with the intention of provide the physical and mental rest to the visitors through 'out an esoteric practice and the straight contact with the nature. Agricultural activities and rural space linked with therapeutical practice needs the internalization of the discipline by working manually, in a place far from addiction and tentation, the religion must be present as well as the positive attributes of the nature with its green areas, animals, landscapes and the plant cycle life which bring serenity, health and welfare. / A presente pesquisa aborda a perspectiva das múltiplas funções do espaço rural e da agricultura, investigando a amplitude da noção de multifuncionalidade com foco empírico no estudo das práticas terapêuticas que se utilizam dos espaços rurais e de atividades agropecuárias na região central do Rio Grande do Sul Brasil. Os objetivos da pesquisa foram identificar, descrever, classificar e caracterizar estas diferentes modalidades de terapias, buscando identificar os sentidos que os profissionais e público envolvidos atribuem às suas práticas terapêuticas baseadas em atividades agropecuárias e/ou junto aos espaços rurais. Os principais métodos e técnicas de investigação utilizados foram o questionário, a observação participante, as entrevistas semi-estruturadas e a análise de discurso. No conjunto dos 35 municípios da região central do Rio Grande do Sul investigados foram identificados nove estabelecimentos, localizados em sete municípios diferentes, que desenvolviam algum tipo de terapia com base em atividades agropecuárias e atributos dos espaços rurais. Os nove estabelecimentos foram classificados em três modalidades diferentes de práticas terapêuticas, sendo elas: (1)Comunidades Terapêuticas para a reabilitação e reinserção social de pessoas dependentes de substâncias psicoativas; (2)Centros de Equoterapia, voltados ao atendimento de pessoas com necessidades especiais e/ou problemas físicos e motores, com o propósito de educação, reabilitação e melhora na qualidade de vida dos praticantes; e (3)Terapia de Energização, voltada a um público amplo, com a intenção de proporcionar o descanso físico e mental dos visitantes através de práticas esotéricas e contato direto com a natureza. Os sentidos para o uso de atividades agropecuárias e do espaço rural para práticas terapêuticas vinculam-se a elementos ligados à internalização da disciplina por meio do trabalho manual, localização distante das tentações do vício, à religião e o seu sistema de crenças e aos atributos positivos e idealizados da natureza, como os espaços abertos e verdes, os animais, a paisagem e o ciclo de vida das plantas, que constituem um imaginário de tranqüilidade, saúde e bem-estar.

As Doenças Inflamatórias Intestinais (DII) são caracterizadas por resposta inflamatória exacerbada na mucosa intestinal, com desbalanço entre mecanismos pró-inflamatórios e reguladores. Entretanto, até o momento, nenhuma terapia é curativa e vários pacientes são refratários ou intolerantes a elas, necessitando de intervenções cirúrgicas para combater as complicações da doença. Sendo assim, é evidente que novas terapias são necessárias para o controle da progressão das DII. Dessa forma, como a saliva de insetos hematófagos constitui uma fonte importante de moléculas com potencial farmacológico, o objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a atividade terapêutica do extrato de glândula salivar (EGS) do Aedes aegypti e suas frações na colite experimental. Para tal, camundongos C57BL/6 foram submetidos à indução de colite pela administração de água contendo 3% de dextran sulfato de sódio (DSS). Os resultados demonstraram melhora na condição clínica e no escore pós-morte dos camundongos tratados com o EGS i.v. ou i.p. Essa melhora foi acompanhada de redução de leucócitos no sangue periférico, principalmente quando os animais foram tratados i.v. Além disso, redução do infiltrado inflamatório e das citocinas patogênicas IL-12, IFN-?, TNF-?, IL- 1? e IL-5, no intestino, foi também associada ao tratamento. Ademais, houve diminuição da frequência de linfócitos TCD4+ produtores de IFN-?, IL-17 e IL-4 no baço e nos linfonodos mesentéricos (LNM) dos animais tratados com EGS. Ainda, uma menor frequência de células CD11b+ no baço e CD49b+ nos LNM também foi detectada nos animais com inflamação intestinal tratados com o EGS. De forma interessante, quando expostos por dois ciclos ao DSS, o tratamento precoce com EGS (1o ciclo) protegeu os camundongos do desenvolvimento da colite após nova indução da inflamação intestinal (2o ciclo), sugerindo que a saliva do A. aegypti possui componentes com capacidade de retardar o aparecimento e a gravidade da recidiva da doença. A melhora na condição clínica associada ao tratamento com EGS parece também estar associada à modulação de populações bacterianas no intestino com características supostamente colitogênicas (Pseudomonas monteilii) e protetoras (Ruminococus champanelensis e Turicibacter sanguinis). De fato, o transplante de microbiota de camundongos tratados com EGS para animais que sofreram indução da colite levou à aparente melhora do escore pós-morte e à redução de leucócitos circulantes. Além disso, o transplante diminuiu a expressão de RNAm das citocinas inflamatórias IFN-? e IL-1?, indicando que alterações na microbiota intestinal podem ser um dos mecanismos pelos quais o EGS modula a colite experimental. Finalmente, experimentos utilizando a cromatografia líquida de alta performance (HPLC) sugerem que uma fração (F3) do extrato bruto da saliva, pode ser a responsável pela melhora observada nos sinais clínicos da doença. De forma geral, o EGS e seus componentes parecem representar uma fonte importante de moléculas imunomoduladoras com potencial terapêutico no tratamento da inflamação intestinal induzida experimentalmente / Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is an inflammatory disorder characterized by an imbalance between inflammatory and regulatory immune responses at the gut mucosa. However, current therapies are not totally effective and a plenty of patients require repeated surgeries to control disease complications. So, it is clear that novel therapies are still needed to control IBD progression. Thereby, since saliva from bloodsucking arthropods is a rich source of pharmacologically bioactive molecules, the aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic activity of Aedes aegypti total (SGE) and fractionated saliva in the treatment of experimental colitis. For this purpose, C57BL/6 male mice were exposed to 3% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in drinking water. The results showed an improvement in clinical disease outcome and postmortem scores after SGE treatment, regardless the route of administration used (i.p. or i.v.). This amelioration was accompanied by the systemic reduction in peripheral blood lymphocytes, especially when the i.v route was used. Furthermore, a reduction in the inflammatory area together with a local diminishment of IFN- ?, TNF-?, IL-1? and IL-5 cytokines were observed in the colon of SGE-treated mice. Similarly, a reduction of the frequency of TCD4+ lymphocytes producing IFN-?, IL-17 and IL-4 was observed in spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) of SGE-treated mice. A lower frequency of CD11b+ cells in spleen and CD49b+ in MLN was also observed after SGE treatment. Interestingly, early treatment with SGE led to mice protection from a late DSS rechallenging, indicating that the mosquito saliva may present components able to prevent disease relapse. Clinical improvement due to SGE therapy seems to be also related to the modulation of intestinal bacterial population with different characteristics. Thus, SGE-therapy managed to a diminishment of colitogenic (Pseudomonas monteilii) and improvement of protective (Ruminococus champanelensis e Turicibacter sanguinis) bacteria. In fact, microbiota transplantation from SGE-tretaed mice to mice exposed to DSS-colitis improved postmortem scores and induced systemic diminishment in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Additionally, a reduced mRNA levels for the inflammatory cytokines IFN-? and IL-1?, was observed in transplanted mice, pointing to the effects of SGE-therapy in the modulation of gut microbes as one of the mechanisms related to the improvement of disease outcome. Finally, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) experiments suggested a major SGE pool fraction (F3) able to ameliorate disease signs. In conclusion, SGE and its components might represent a source of important immunomodulatory molecules with promising therapeutic activity for experimentally induced intestinal inflammation.

International and national research has shown that the use of complementary therapies (often referred to in the scientific literature as either alternative therapies or unconventional therapies) is widespread. However, there is little in the scientific literature about the use of complementary therapies in the treatment regime of people with dementia. Specifically, there have been no published results of investigations into the use of Reiki, a holistic complementary therapy, in the treatment regime of people with dementia. Before proceeding with an in-depth examination into the use of Reiki in the care of people with dementia, a questionnaire containing both closed and open-ended questions was distributed to 162 South Australian High Care Residential Facilities (formerly called Nursing Homes) in 2002. The return rate was 58.0% (n=94) of which 50.0% of the mail out (n=81) was available for analysis. Findings from the questionnaires suggested that a wide range of complementary therapies including aromatherapy, massage, music, behaviour therapy, healing touch, Reiki and Therapeutic Touch (Krieger/Kunz method) were used regularly within South Australian High Care Residential Facilities. Complementary therapies were reportedly used to calm residents, improve behaviour management, enhance the quality of life of residents, promote 1:1 interaction, stimulate the senses, and reduce the need for medication. Due to 15 facilities reporting the use of Reiki, a series of semi-structured interviews with Reiki practitioners caring for people with dementia was conducted in 2004/2005. Interview participants (n=10) included a representative range of people providing care for people with dementia in eight Nursing Homes in Adelaide, South Australia. Data reduction methods included a quasi-statistical counting of key words and repeated re-readings of the transcripts to discover the essences, abstract the meanings and arrange them into themes and sub-themes. The results of the interviews suggested that Reiki is an easy to learn and easy to use holistic complementary therapy which has the potential to enhance the quality of life of the persons with dementia, their family members, and their carers. The interview participants reported improved physical, psychological, mental and emotional well-being as well as enhanced relationships and a reduction in negative behaviours following the use of Reiki. The receipt of the first Jack Loader Scholarship from the Rosemary Foundation for Memory Support Inc. in early 2005 enabled the researcher to transfer to full-time studies from April 2005. Key Words: aged care; alternative therapies; complementary therapies; dementia; early onset dementia; one to one interaction; quality of life; Reiki; therapeutic touch; unconventional therapies.

While there have been many presentations and anecdotal evidence in support of AAT, quantitative empirically validated studies are very limited. Without quantitative empirical studies to support the effectiveness of AAT, it remains an unproven complement to traditional physical and psychotherapeutic practices (Kruger & Serpell,2010). The value and importance of non-empirical literature on AAT,including therapists’ observations, various author’s personal experiences, and unstructured interviews with patients, will be explored in the next section. Empirical literature on AAT, including scientific experiment and controlled research studies, will also be addressed. Finally, a conclusion providing ideas for future directions in research in this discipline will be presented.

[pt] Apoiado nas teorias do imaginário psíquico e social- histórico de Castoriadis e da eficácia simbólica de Lévi- Strauss, o presente trabalho pretende entender quais pressupostos motivam o uso da terapia de vida passada. Foram estudados os principais autores do campo, bem como foram realizadas e analisadas entrevistas com terapeutas e clientes desta modalidade. Observou-se que a prática da terapia de vida passada tem se proliferado e se ramificado em diversas variações técnicas. Intimamente ligadas a esta terapia estão uma série de crenças de cunho espiritualista que dificultam sua aceitação nos meios científicos e acadêmicos. Todavia, a técnica tem se popularizado muito entre terapeutas e clientes que, cada vez mais, procuram por esta terapia. / [en] Based on the Castoriadis theories about psycho-social- historical imagination and on the symbolic efficacy of Lévi-Strauss, this study aims to understand the motivation that lies behind the use of past live therapy. A research was conducted on the main authors in this field and a number of interviews were performed with patients, as well as with past live therapists. An analysis of their discourse revealed that this kind of therapy has been growing and ramifying in the most different technical variations. We noticed that this past live therapy is closely permeated by a series of spiritualists` beliefs and these beliefs makes its acceptance very hard among scientists and academics. On the other hand, the technique has become popular among therapists and patients, who have been more and more looking for this type of therapy.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-03-29T15:49:23Z No. of bitstreams: 1 izabelamatosflorianomendonca.pdf: 2836651 bytes, checksum: cd30a8d8fd9dd1a6034ba3e6c3058ad4 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-04-24T02:49:20Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 izabelamatosflorianomendonca.pdf: 2836651 bytes, checksum: cd30a8d8fd9dd1a6034ba3e6c3058ad4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-24T02:49:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 izabelamatosflorianomendonca.pdf: 2836651 bytes, checksum: cd30a8d8fd9dd1a6034ba3e6c3058ad4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-25 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O presente estudo busca elucidar a relação entre terapias religiosas e terapias alternativas, adotando como eixo temático, a apometria, terapia de cura espiritual que surge em meados de 1965, no campo kardecista, e avança para fora de seu lócus original, vinculando-se tanto a racionalidades médicas não oficiais, quanto a sistemas religiosos diversos, senão ainda a terapias alternativas e psicológicas. Em virtude das configurações plurais da apometria, esta pesquisa propõe estudar as interlocuções da técnica com as diversas religiosidades, em especial as mediúnico-espíritas, no ritual do Grupo de Apométrico Elos de Amor e Paz de Juiz de Fora. / The present study aims to elucidate the relationship between religious therapies and alternative therapies, adopting as the main theme, the aptometry, spiritual healing therapy that comes in the middle of 1965, in field kardecist, and moves out of its original locus linking to both medical rationalities unofficial, as the various religious systems, but also the psychological and alternative therapies. Because of the settings of the plural aptometry, this research proposes to study the interlocutions with the various religiosities, especially psychicspiritualist, in ritual of the “Grupo Apométrico Elos de Amor e Paz Juiz de Fora".

Postoperativ smärta i samband med kirurgi är ett vanligt förekommande tillstånd eftersom smärta är en komplex och individuell upplevelse. För att kunna ge adekvat smärtlindring behöver anestesisjuksköterskor vara öppna för och implementera andra metoder, så kallade icke-farmakologiska smärtlindringsmetoder. Musik och TENS är två icke-farmakologiska metoder som kan lindra postoperativ smärta. Anestesisjuksköterskan har ett ansvar att se till varje patients enskilda behov och ge individuell vård med personen i centrum. Vården är under konstant utveckling och för att utvecklas hållbart krävs det forskning kring användning av alternativa metoder som tillägg till farmakologisk smärtbehandling. Syftet med studien var att undersöka effekten av musik eller TENS som tillägg till farmakologisk behandling för att lindra postoperativ smärta. En systematisk litteraturöversikt har gjorts. Sökning av vetenskapliga artiklar gjordes i databaserna Cinahl och Medline. Totalt inkluderades 19 kvantitativa artiklar som uppnådde medel eller hög kvalitet efter kvalitetsgranskning. Studierna innefattade olika typer av ingrepp, där alla deltagare var över 18 år samt både män och kvinnor. Alla artiklar var godkända av etisk kommitté eller granskningsnämnd. Resultatet redovisas utifrån två kategorier: musik och TENS. Både musik och TENS visade sig vara säkra metoder som gav effekt på den postoperativa smärtan, dessutom kan TENS minska opioid konsumtionen. Musik och TENS kan tillämpas av anestesisjuksköterskor. Musik är en kostnadseffektiv metod medan TENS inte är det. Det krävs ytterligare forskning kring både musik och TENS inom perioperativ vård. / Postoperative pain after surgery is a common state because pain is a complex and individual experience. To be able to give adequate pain relief, nurse anesthetist should be open to and implement other methods, such as alternative therapies. Music and TENS are two alternative therapies that could ease postoperative pain. The nurse anesthetist has a responsibility to see every patients individual need and give person centered care. Healthcare is under constant development and to achieve sustainable development, research is needed on how to use alternative therapies in addition to pharmacological pain relief. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of music or TENS as an addition to pharmacological treatment to ease postoperative pain. A systematic review was conducted. The databases Cinahl and Medline were used for the search for scientific articles. Which in total consisted of 19 quantitative articles that achieved medium or high quality after a quality review was performed. The studies included different types of surgeries, all participants were 18 or older, as well as both male and female. All articles were approved by an ethics committee or review board. The results are categorized into two main outcomes: music and TENS. Both music and TENS proved to be safe alternative therapies that had positive effects on the postoperative pain perception, in addition TENS seemed to decrease the opioid consumption. Both music and TENS can be administered by nurse anesthetists. Music is a cost-effective method whereas TENS is not. However, both music and TENS need to be researched further in perioperative care.

O Objetivo deste trabalho é tratar da Homeopatia e da Medicina Científica, e de sua convivência institucional, considerando principalmente o cenário posterior à década de 1980, quando de sua assimilação pela Medicina Oficial brasileira. O que se pretende demonstrar, fundamentalmente, é que a Medicina Científica e a Homeopatia são essencialmente diferentes, e acima de tudo demonstrar que este caso particular de relações institucionais deve ser entendido sob pelo menos duas perspectivas, de uma epistemológica, e de outra sociológica. Essas duas perspectivas são essenciais para entender a moderna relação institucional entre Homeopatia e Medicina Científica, que acontece num contexto de assimilação institucional da Homeopatia pela Medicina Oficial. Ainda que essa integração nunca possa vir à ser concretizada completamente, essa assimilação é resultado de uma grande mudança no universo simbólico das culturas ocidentais, principalmente dos conceitos e valores ligados ao imaginário da saúde. Neste novo contexto simbólico, a ciência como instituição é ressignificada e e devidamente recontextualizada, em termos de cultura popular e senso comum (universo simbólico da vida cotidiana), de modo que passa a poder acomodar os mais diversos tipos de conhecimentos em seu universo. É sob a perspectiva do processo de racionalização e desencantamento do mundo que essas instituições são analisadas e a compreensão dos universos simbólicos mantidos por cada grupo é o objetivo central desse trabalho. / This study deals with Homeopathy and Scientific Medicine and focus its institutional relationship, especially considering the latter scenario to the 1980s decade, after its assimilation by brazilian Official Medicine. It intends to demonstrate that Scientific Medicine and Homeopathy are fundamentally and essentially different things and, above all, demonstrate that this particular case of institutional relations should be understood in, at least, two perspectives: epistemological, and sociological. These perspectives are essential to understand the modern relationship between Homeopathy and Official Medicine -­ which takes place in a context of institutional assimilation of homeopathy by the Official Medicine (although this integration could never come to be fully realized). This assimilation is the result of a change in the symbolic universe of western cultures, especially the concepts and values linked to the health imaginary. In this new symbolic context, science, as an institution, is resignified and recontextualized in terms of popular culture and common sense (the symbolic universe of everyday life), allowing to accommodate all different types of knowledge in this new resigninified universe of science. Its from the process of rationalization and disenchantment of the worlds perspective that these institutions are analyzed, and the understanding of the symbolic universes maintained by each group is the central objective of this work.

Rapid increases in population ageing and the associated rise in the prevalence of dementia have created many challenges for the care of older people with dementia. As the majority of people now living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) now have dementia, the need to maximise the quality of life for this group is increasingly recognised. While such issues have attracted research and policy attention in recent years, the evidence base for practice in dementia care is still underdeveloped. The need for more effective therapeutic interventions to improve the quality of life for older people with dementia is recognised, particularly those living in RACFs. The use of pets is one example of recent attempts to help create a more home-like environment and dog therapy is available in many facilities. Well designed research to demonstrate whether it actually has a positive impact on residents’ quality of life is lacking. This study is the first reported randomised controlled trial investigating dog therapy for people with dementia. Fifty-five older people with mild to moderate dementia living in three residential aged care facilities in the Greater Brisbane area participated in this study. The goal was to identify whether dog therapy accrued any benefits to residents’ well being and compare the benefits, if any, with human-only therapy intervention. The main hypothesis was that dog contact delivered in a small group recreational therapy format would have a beneficial effect on the well being of participants. It was additionally hypothesised that prior and current positive relationships with dogs would be related to improved outcomes of dog therapy and support a human-animal bond explanation of relationship development with the therapy dog(s). Participants were randomly assigned into two groups within each facility: The dog therapy group and a human-only therapy group. Session plans were structured according to a recreational therapy format. Three therapy dogs were used (a miniature Poodle, a Staffordshire Terrier and a German Shepherd Dog) with one dog present at any dog therapy session A before-and-after design was used with concealment of participants at allocation. Mixed methods were used including a panel of seven validated psychometric instruments, an observational measure and a series of four novel questionnaires, dogs for older groups with Alzheimer’s (DOGA), developed de novo specifically to investigate the effects of dog therapy on participants within this study. Measures of mood, quality of life, health and psychosocial functioning, collectively referred to as well-being, detected benefits accruing to dog therapy participants compared with human-only therapy that approached significance (p = .056) with a large effect size (partial eta squared 16.6%). A different measure of mood and apathy showed similar improvement for participants of both therapy types trialed with analyses of a smaller dataset (n = 36) revealing an overall highly significant result (p=.008) and large effect size (partial eta squared = 25.6%) for all participants. To explore the perceptions of care staff to the dog therapy intervention, a self-complete semi-structured questionnaire was completed by a sample of 21 from two of the study facilities. Content analysis revealed that staff overwhelmingly supported dog therapy with a total of 84 comments about benefits and 22 about risks. Responses were categorised and then linked into emergent themes: a temporal dimension, sense of self and increased opportunities for self expression. The opportunity provided by the therapy dog for accessible caring physical contact for participants was identified as important. General recreational therapy goals such as improved mood, reminiscence and increased levels of conversation were reported by staff to continue beyond interventions. The observed risks were: confusion over dog ownership, subsequent worry about losing the dog after sessions, jealousy over the therapy dog and one participant did not enjoy the small group format. Participants described their experiences of contact with the therapy dog as “like” above “attached”. Personal preference explanations are therefore supported, rather than “attachment”, to explain outcomes for participants. This suggests the psychosocial approach has greater relevance here than human-animal bond explanations. Effects of previous dog attachment on outcomes were inconclusive but there was some evidence that participants’ relationship with the therapy dog(s) influenced outcomes, though the nature of that relationship has not been clarified. Recommendations from the study findings are that dog therapy be conducted for people with mild to moderate levels of dementia in groups of 3-11 for a duration of around 10 weeks with sessions for 30 minutes held once or twice weekly and according to a standard format. Opportunities for participants to touch, hug and interact directly with the therapy dog should be maximised without compromising dog welfare. The findings suggest that respect for the personhood of participants is important to the success of the therapy types trialled, which further supports psychosocial therapies involving contact with people or live animals for use with people with dementia over those that minimise or exclude it.

Rapid increases in population ageing and the associated rise in the prevalence of dementia have created many challenges for the care of older people with dementia. As the majority of people now living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) now have dementia, the need to maximise the quality of life for this group is increasingly recognised. While such issues have attracted research and policy attention in recent years, the evidence base for practice in dementia care is still underdeveloped. The need for more effective therapeutic interventions to improve the quality of life for older people with dementia is recognised, particularly those living in RACFs. The use of pets is one example of recent attempts to help create a more home-like environment and dog therapy is available in many facilities. Well designed research to demonstrate whether it actually has a positive impact on residents’ quality of life is lacking. This study is the first reported randomised controlled trial investigating dog therapy for people with dementia. Fifty-five older people with mild to moderate dementia living in three residential aged care facilities in the Greater Brisbane area participated in this study. The goal was to identify whether dog therapy accrued any benefits to residents’ well being and compare the benefits, if any, with human-only therapy intervention. The main hypothesis was that dog contact delivered in a small group recreational therapy format would have a beneficial effect on the well being of participants. It was additionally hypothesised that prior and current positive relationships with dogs would be related to improved outcomes of dog therapy and support a human-animal bond explanation of relationship development with the therapy dog(s). Participants were randomly assigned into two groups within each facility: The dog therapy group and a human-only therapy group. Session plans were structured according to a recreational therapy format. Three therapy dogs were used (a miniature Poodle, a Staffordshire Terrier and a German Shepherd Dog) with one dog present at any dog therapy session A before-and-after design was used with concealment of participants at allocation. Mixed methods were used including a panel of seven validated psychometric instruments, an observational measure and a series of four novel questionnaires, dogs for older groups with Alzheimer’s (DOGA), developed de novo specifically to investigate the effects of dog therapy on participants within this study. Measures of mood, quality of life, health and psychosocial functioning, collectively referred to as well-being, detected benefits accruing to dog therapy participants compared with human-only therapy that approached significance (p = .056) with a large effect size (partial eta squared 16.6%). A different measure of mood and apathy showed similar improvement for participants of both therapy types trialed with analyses of a smaller dataset (n = 36) revealing an overall highly significant result (p=.008) and large effect size (partial eta squared = 25.6%) for all participants. To explore the perceptions of care staff to the dog therapy intervention, a self-complete semi-structured questionnaire was completed by a sample of 21 from two of the study facilities. Content analysis revealed that staff overwhelmingly supported dog therapy with a total of 84 comments about benefits and 22 about risks. Responses were categorised and then linked into emergent themes: a temporal dimension, sense of self and increased opportunities for self expression. The opportunity provided by the therapy dog for accessible caring physical contact for participants was identified as important. General recreational therapy goals such as improved mood, reminiscence and increased levels of conversation were reported by staff to continue beyond interventions. The observed risks were: confusion over dog ownership, subsequent worry about losing the dog after sessions, jealousy over the therapy dog and one participant did not enjoy the small group format. Participants described their experiences of contact with the therapy dog as “like” above “attached”. Personal preference explanations are therefore supported, rather than “attachment”, to explain outcomes for participants. This suggests the psychosocial approach has greater relevance here than human-animal bond explanations. Effects of previous dog attachment on outcomes were inconclusive but there was some evidence that participants’ relationship with the therapy dog(s) influenced outcomes, though the nature of that relationship has not been clarified. Recommendations from the study findings are that dog therapy be conducted for people with mild to moderate levels of dementia in groups of 3-11 for a duration of around 10 weeks with sessions for 30 minutes held once or twice weekly and according to a standard format. Opportunities for participants to touch, hug and interact directly with the therapy dog should be maximised without compromising dog welfare. The findings suggest that respect for the personhood of participants is important to the success of the therapy types trialled, which further supports psychosocial therapies involving contact with people or live animals for use with people with dementia over those that minimise or exclude it.