I love dogs. There is something about the unconditional love and acceptance that a dog gives that warms my heart. In senior care, many communities have begun to realize the benefits that dogs bring to their residents. Some facilities house a dog that lives on site and others will encourage outsiders to bring dogs in to visit their residents. In either instance, residents brighten up immediately whenever a dog walks into the room.
Increasingly, dogs are being used for a number of different service purposes. Dogs for the Disabled, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Dogs for Veterans, all offer tremendous benefits to their participants. At the Glasgow School of the Arts in Scotland, students came up with the idea of applying the concept of service dogs to dementia treatment. With help from Dogs for the Disabled, Alzheimer Scotland, and Guide Dogs Scotland, the students' idea is now becoming a reality.
'Dementia Dogs' are able to provide their owners with reminders to take their medications, they can help them wake up in the morning, etc. Additionally, one of the things that people with dementia suffer from is a difficulty communicating. The dogs don't mind if you tell the same story again or if your words don't come out in just the right order which makes them perfect companions. Dogs are also creatures that thrive on routine. And routine, for a person struggling with dementia, is tremendously important. Put it all together and you have a match made in heaven...or Scotland.
For more on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23270822
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