Clinical-functional vulnerability of residents with companion dogs in Long-Term Care Facilities

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47236/2594-7036.2026.v10.2391

Keywords:

Long-term care, Geriatric assessment, Homes for the aged, Health of the elderly, Health vulnerability

Abstract

Population aging has increased the demand for long-term care and, consequently, the complexity of care provided in Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCFs). In this context, assessing clinical-functional vulnerability is essential for care planning. Although the 10-Minute Targeted Geriatric Assessment for Long-Term Care Facilities (TaGA-LTCF) has recently been adapted and validated for this context, no studies have yet explored its application among residents who live with companion dogs (CDs). This study aimed to characterize the clinical-functional vulnerability profile of LTCF residents responsible for CDs. This was an observational, cross-sectional, and descriptive study conducted with 30 residents aged over 60 years who were responsible for CDs in two LTCFs in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Sociodemographic information was collected, and the TaGA-LTCF was administered to characterize clinical-functional vulnerability. There was a predominance of female participants; the mean age was 72.5 years (SD = 6.9), ranging from 60 to 88 years, and the mean educational attainment was 16.4 years (SD = 3.6).It was observed that 93.3% of the participants had a very low-risk score. Among the domains assessed, previous hospital admissions (53.3%), depressive symptoms (46.7%), medicationuse (36.7%), and falls (33.3%) were the most prominent. The results indicate a lower clinical-functional vulnerability profile among residents responsible for CDs, considering the greater vulnerability profile frequently observed in LTCFs, reinforcing the relevance of multidimensional assessment and the need for comparative studies.  

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Author Biographies

  • Marta Cristina da Silva, University of São Paulo
    Master’s student in Gerontology at the School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities of the University of São Paulo. Guarulhos, São Paulo, Brazil. Email: dramartasilva@hotmail.com. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1993-1901. Lattes CV: https://lattes.cnpq.br/7820480362995087.
  • Adriana Benedita Luiz, University of São Paulo
    Doctoral student in Gerontology at the School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities of the University of São Paulo. São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Email: driluiz2013@gmail.com. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6325-7028. Lattes CV: http://lattes.cnpq.br/4393541866727953.
  • Luana Oliveira Correia, Universidade de Fortaleza
    Master of Public Health from the University of Fortaleza. Member of the Palliative Care team at Dr. Waldemar Alcântara Hospital. Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Email: luanaolicorreia@gmail.com. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9235-8998. Lattes CV: http://lattes.cnpq.br/5303076191329700.
  • Luís Felipe Dias Lopes, Federal University of Santa Maria
    Doctor of Production Engineering from the Federal University of Santa Catarina. Full Professor in the Department of Administrative Sciences and permanent faculty member of the Graduate Programs in Administration and in Accounting Sciences at the Federal University of Santa Maria. Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Email: luis.lopes@ufsm.br. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2438-0226. Lattes CV: http://lattes.cnpq.br/1074372911061770.
  • Beatriz Aparecida Ozello Gutierrez, University of São Paulo
    Doctor of Nursing from the University of São Paulo. Professor at the School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities of the University of São Paulo and faculty member of the graduate programs in Gerontology at the University of São Paulo and the Federal University of Paraíba. São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Email: biagutierrez@usp.br. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6901-6439. Lattes CV: http://lattes.cnpq.br/0234375392133816.

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Published

2026-11-06

How to Cite

SILVA, Marta Cristina da et al. Clinical-functional vulnerability of residents with companion dogs in Long-Term Care Facilities. Sítio Novo Magazine, Palmas, v. 10, p. e2391, 2026. DOI: 10.47236/2594-7036.2026.v10.2391. Disponível em: https://sitionovo.ifto.edu.br/index.php/sitionovo/article/view/2391. Acesso em: 11 nov. 2026.