16
May
2014
|
09:40 AM
America/New_York

Ohio State News Tips 5-16-14

Ohio State research: Caring for horses eases symptoms of dementia. People with Alzheimer’s become calmer, happier after grooming horses. In the first study of its kind, researchers have determined that spending time with horses eases symptoms of Alzheimer’s dementia.
A collaboration between The Ohio State University, an equine therapy center and an adult daycare center found that people with Alzheimer’s were able to safely groom, feed and walk horses under supervision—and the experience buoyed their mood and made them less likely to resist care or become upset later in the day.
The small pilot study, which appears in the journal Anthrozoös, suggests that equine therapy – a treatment used today for children and teens who have emotional and developmental disorders – could work for adults, too.
Holly Dabelko-Schoeny, associate professor of social work at Ohio State, said that equine therapy could supplement more common forms of animal therapy involving dogs or cats and provide a unique way to ease the symptoms of dementia without drugs. SEE: http://news.osu.edu/news/2014/05/05/caring-for-horses-eases-symptoms-of-dementia/. CONTACT: Holly Dabelko-Schoeny, 614-292-4378, dabelko-schoeny.1@osu.edu, Pam Frost Gorder, 614-292-9475, gorder.1@osu.edu.

Ohio State students to dig up crime scene – May 19 - 21. Ohio State students along with partners from the PAST Innovation Lab will be excavating a “crime scene” May 19-21 at Ohio State’s Waterman Arm, 2490 Carmack Road as part of the Ohio State/ PAST Forensic Science and Anthropology Field School. On Monday (5/19) students will work with K9 Response Search and Rescue from 9 – 10:30 a.m. to hunt for bodies. On Tuesday (5/20), students will excavate and expose buried human plastic skeletons from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Students will be looking at decomposing pigs to see the affects insects have on remains. SEE:  https://pastinnovationlab.org/students/bridge-programs/forensic-field-school-2014/. Media Contact at the site: Adam Kolatorowicz, director, Forensic Science and Anthropology Field School, kolatorowicz.1@osu.edu/ 847-508-8658.

Free eye exams for service animals at Ohio State Veterinary Medical Center – May 19. Dr. Anne Gemensky-Metzler and Dr. David Wilke, veterinary ophthalmologists at The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center (VMC) will conduct free sight-saving eye exams for service animals on May 19. All animals were pre-registered during the month of April through a program hosted by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists and sponsored in part by Stokes Pharmacy.
Service animals include dogs that assist people who have physical limitations, as well as search and rescue dogs, police dogs, lead dogs, and pilot dogs. These animals are devoted helpers to their owners so it is important that they are in optimal health. This is the sixth year the VMC has participated in National Service Dog Eye Exams. While dogs can’t read the familiar charts that human eye doctors use to test our eyesight, veterinary ophthalmologists have a series of assessments to check visual responses to gestures, and medical exams to detect abnormalities of the eyes. To schedule an interview or observe an exam, CONTACT: Melissa Weber, 614-292-3752 (office) or 614-327-6024 (cell).

History of Black Columbus Conference to Explore the Columbus City School System – May 24. The annual History of Black Columbus Conference will convene from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 24 at the Ohio State University African American and African Studies Community Extension Center, 905 Mount Vernon Ave.
The theme for the conference is “The Columbus City School System: How Did We Get To This Point and Where Do We Go From Here?” Highlights include talks from keynote speakers, panel discussions, and presentations by faculty, community members and local officials.
Sponsored by The Ohio State University Community Extension Center, the primary aim of the conference is to bring the community together to celebrate the rich history of African Americans in Columbus and to increase awareness regarding the significant contribution African Americans have made in all areas of life in the city. The secondary aim of the conference is to document and preserve this history for future generations. CONTACT: Alecia Shipe, program coordinator, Shipe.12@osu.edu, 614-292-3922.

The person listed as the CONTACT will have the most current information about the story. Call on our media relations staff for help with any Ohio State story: Jane Carroll, 614-292-5220 or carroll.296@osu.edu; Liz Cook, 614-292-7276 or cook.17@osu.edu; Gary Lewis, 614-688-2048 or lewis.330@osu.edu; or Amy Murray, 614-292-8385 or murray-goedde.1@osu.edu.