Why the study?
Dog ownership has been associated with higher 24-hr HRV and physical activity, but the real-time minute-by-minute effects of proximity to a dog on older caregivers' HRV measures and stress index during daily life were not evaluated.
Does proximity to a companion dog improve heart rate variability and lower stress index in older adult caregivers?
Population
11 dog caregivers (56-83 years of age) and 11 dogs
Comparison
Presence vs absence of dog proximity (presence vs absence of RSSI signal)
Design
Pilot study
Follow-up
24-hr period
Authors
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Association in caregivers does not support practice change; leaves open causal HRV effects pending randomized trials.
Does proximity to a companion dog improve heart rate variability and lower stress index in older adult caregivers?
Proximity to a companion dog is associated with increased heart rate variability and lower stress index in older adults, suggesting potential cardiovascular health benefits.
Ortmeyer et al. (2020) studied this question.
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