Robotic pets can provide a source of affection and companionship for patients. This is especially important as individuals with dementia may receive infrequent visitation from family members if their families struggle with how to cope and communicate with their loved one. Several options such as the "Joy for Allâ„¢" and "Paro" robotic pets offer a source of companionship that is both interactive and comforting. Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMHCS) researchers are seeking to make companion pets available to patients with dementia to provide them with a supplemental enrichment experience that enhances their overall care and lowers their risk for superimposed delirium. The intervention will consist of providing a robotic pet to the patient within 48 hours of admission, which the patient will keep with them throughout their hospital stay and upon discharge. SMHCS researchers will evaluate the effects of the robotic pet interaction on patient delirium scores, as measured by the Nursing Delirium Screening Scale (Nu-DESC), length of stay, and the use of intravenous psychotropic medications, code greys, falls occurrence, restraint use, and IV dislodgement in patients with mild-to-moderate dementia. The Nu-DESC scale is a short assessment tool, estimated to take approximately 3-5 minutes to complete and is already part of standard care at SMHCS. This tool is used by nursing staff with minimal additional training and shows consistent sensitivity (85.7%) and specificity (86.8%) in detecting delirium. The NuDESC score may be positive in a patient with dementia, since some characteristics of dementia can be similar to delirium. However, patients with dementia are at higher risk for developing delirium, so the NuDESC is a helpful tool for the nurse. A score of 2 or higher is considered screening positive for delirium. For this study, the NuDESC tool will be used as a guideline to assist in the screening of delirium. The patients will have to score a 4 or less to be included in the study. Patients that are scoring \>4 will be excluded. Theoretic Framework of Acceptability (TFA) is a questionnaire which will be used to assess health care provider acceptability of the companion animal. This tool is currently not in use at SMHCS, but it will be used as part of this study to assess whether health care providers accept (or reject) the robotic pets as companion animals.
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Assess how the use of the Joy for Allâ„¢ companion pet, as compared to standard care, impacts the development or progression of acute delirium in patients with dementia in an acute care setting.
Timeframe: Measured at shift change (12 hours intervals), or any time a change in mental status is observed. This will be assessed from the time the "robotic pet order" is placed until discharge up to 60 days.
The use of intravenous psychotropic medications.
Timeframe: Recorded any time intravenous psychotropic medication is administered starting from the time the "robotic pet order" is placed until patient is discharge up to 60 days.
Hospital length of stay.
Timeframe: Length of stay is measured from time of admission to time of discharge up to 60 days.
The use of restraints.
Timeframe: Use of restraints will be recorded starting from the time the "robotic pet order" is placed until patient is discharged up to 60 days.
Occurrence of falls.
Timeframe: Any fall that occurs during an enrolled patient's hospital stay will be recorded starting from the time the "robotic pet order" is placed until patient is discharged up to 60 days.
"Code Greys"
Timeframe: During the length of the patient's hospitalization, any "Code Grey" will be recorded at time of occurrence starting from the time the "robotic pet order" is placed until patient is discharged up to 60 days.
Intravenous catheter dislodgement occurrences.
Timeframe: All enrolled patients will have any intravenous catheter dislodgment recorded at time of occurrence. This will be recorded starting from the time the "robotic pet order" is placed until patient is discharged, up to 60 days.
Delirium order set.
Timeframe: Delirium and worsening of condition will be recorded at time of observation during hospitalization stay up to 60 days.
Use of patient safety attendants (order and length of use)
Timeframe: Patient safety attendant use and camera use will be recorded for use and length of time for each patient enrolled in the study starting from the time the "robotic pet order" is placed until patient is discharged up to 60 days.
Blood Pressure
Timeframe: Blood pressure measurements will be collected and monitored during the time the patient is admitted following standard of care procedure, from the time the "robotic pet order", and continue until patient is discharge, up to 60 days.
Heart Rate
Timeframe: Heart rate measurements will be collected and monitored during the time the patient is admitted following standard of care procedure, from the time the "robotic pet order" is placed, and continue until patient is discharge, up to 60 days.
Pain Signs
Timeframe: Signs of pain will be collected and monitored during the time the patient is admitted following standard of care procedure, from the time the "robotic pet order" is placed, and continue until patient is discharge, up to 60 days.