Experiences of the Animal-Human Bond Among Persons Living with Dementia $25
LETTER OF INFORMATION / CONSENT
Experiences of the Animal-Human Bond Among Persons Living with Dementia
Student Investigator: Faculty Supervisor:
Name: Sabanta Noor Name: Dr. Bonnie Freeman
Department of Social Work Department of Social Work
McMaster University McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
(905) 407-7936 (905) 525-9140 ext. 21447
E-mail: noors4@mcmaster.ca E-mail: freemanb@mcmaster.ca
What are we trying to discover?
This project invites people living with dementia, their care partner, and their pet(s) to share their experiences of the bond persons living with dementia share with their pets. We are interested in exploring the meaningful ways that people living with dementia connect with their pets and how these relationships shape everyday life.
This is a line of research that could be continued in the future. The information you share will contribute not only to this project but to future explorations of this topic.
What will happen during the study?
Before your interview, you will receive the following documents via email: an interview guide questions, a study brochure, and a letter of information. Interviews will last approximately 60-90 minutes and can be conducted either online via Zoom or in a confidential location that we agree upon.
With your permission, the interview will be audio recorded, transcribed, and accompanied by some notetaking. Recordings will be captured using Zoom's recording features and a USB microphone. You, your care partner and your pet are invited to join the interview so that we can observe your interactions with your pet(s) and ask some questions about your experiences with your pet(s).
Interviews will be scheduled between April 2026 and June 2026. We will meet once, at a mutually agreed upon date and time within this period.
During the interview, you will be asked questions like:
- What are some challenging times with your pets?
- What would it mean for you if you did not have your pets?
- What would you like people to know about how your pets help you in your life?
Are there any risks to doing this study?
The risks of participating in this study are minimal. Some questions may prompt you to reflect on challenging or emotional moments, which could feel uncomfortable. Additionally, some people may feel uncomfortable or upset discussing dementia. It is important to know that you do not need to answer any questions that you feel uncomfortable answering. It is also important to note that findings will be shared with the Alzheimer Society Brant Haldimand Norfolk Hamilton Halton. However, if you choose to use a pseudonym, we will anonymize your responses. Importantly, your participation in this study will not affect your access to programs and services offered by the Alzheimer Society Brant Haldimand Norfolk Hamilton Halton or any other organization through which you may have heard about this study.
While we will store audio files securely, we do rely on Zoom to record the interviews. Although minimal, the risk of a data breach is possible.
You do not need to answer any questions that you do not want to answer.
Below are the steps we are taking to protect your privacy throughout the process.
- You can choose to use either your own given names or a pseudonym
- Data will be stored on encrypted documents and password protected devices
- Only the research team (Sabanta and Dr. Bonnie Freeman) will have access to the interview data
- We will require a password to access the zoom session
- We will enable the waiting room feature to admit participants into the session
- We will record the zoom session onto a local computer as opposed to a cloud storage
Are there any benefits to doing this study?
The research will not benefit you directly. We hope to learn more about the animal-human bond. The findings from this study will be shared with dementia care service providers and related organizations to promote dementia friendly awareness and a greater understanding of the animal-human relationship.
Incentive/Payment or Reimbursement
Each participant will receive a $25 gift card for participating in an interview.
Who will know what I said or did in the study?
You are participating in this study confidentially. If you would like, we can include your first name and your pet(s) name(s). Otherwise, we will use a pseudonym for you and your pet(s). We will make sure to remove any information that would allow you to be identified. Every effort will be made to protect your confidentiality and privacy. However, participants can be identifiable through the personal stories they share, so keep this in mind when deciding which information to disclose. Note that the use of platforms such as Zoom can carry a risk of data breach, therefore absolute data privacy cannot be guaranteed.
Your contact information (such as your phone number or email) will only be kept so we can contact you for feedback on the draft report or share the final report with you, if you agree to this. If you do not consent to this, your contact information will be securely deleted within one week after the interview.
Any personal information included in interview transcripts or written notes will be removed from the transcripts by June 31, 2026. After this time, all personal information will be securely deleted or anonymized if you chose to use a pseudonym. Research data that does not identify you may be kept for a longer period for future research or publications.
Legally Required Disclosure:
Although we will take all steps to protect your privacy as described above, there are certain circumstances in which confidentiality may need to be broken. If the law requires it–for example, if there is suspected abuse–we may have to reveal personal information. If you are at risk of harm to yourself, your pet(s) or others, we are required to report this and may need to share personal information. If legal authorities request the information you have provided, we may be required to disclose it.
What if I change my mind about being in the study?
Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary. You may choose whether or not to take part. If you decide to participate, you can stop (withdraw) from the interview for any reason, including after giving consent, partway through the interview, or up until June 1st, 2026, when the data will be grouped into themes.
If you no longer wish to participate, you may simply inform Sabanta and/or Dr. Bonnie of your decision. If your data has already been collected, please contact noors4@mcmaster.ca and/or freemanb@mcmaster.ca to let us know of your decision. If you decide to withdraw, there will be no consequences to you. Upon withdrawal, any data you have provided will be destroyed unless you indicate otherwise. You may also choose not to answer specific questions and still remain in the study.
Your decision about whether or not to participate will not affect your access to services from the Alzheimer Society or any other organizations involved in recruitment. If you no longer wish to participate, you may still keep the $25 gift card.
How do I find out what was learned in this study?
We expect this study to be completed by approximately October 2026. If you would like to receive a brief summary of the results, please let us know which email address or mailing address we can send it to. With your consent, we will also share the following documents with you at different stages of the research process: a transcript of our interview, a draft of the written report, and a final copy of the written report. This will give you opportunities to review the materials and clarify or comment on any information as the study progresses.
If you would like a copy of your transcripts, please let us know during the interview. We will be able to provide these to you digitally or as a hard copy within approximately two weeks following the interview. If you require a hard copy, we can arrange a mutually agreed-upon time and place for the research team to drop it off to you.
https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1B12BYbEZySMEJJDsKVtjoGpqgycq5KY6/mobilebasic
