Making Rounds with Oscar by David Dosa tells the story of a cat who lives in an Alzheimer’s unit of a nursing home and spends time with patients before they pass away.
I read some information about the usefulness of pets, specifically dogs, in helping Alzheimer’s & dementia patients deal with their everyday lives.
One articles stated that “‘Dementia dogs’ can be trained to remind their owners where their clothes are, which medicines they should take, and even raise an alarm in case of an emergency.” (Savedge, 2013.) Since dogs love predictability and routine, it is easy to teach them to help their disabled owner.
Animals can have a calming effect and help immensely with the agitation, anxiety, and frustration Alzheimer’s patients exhibit. Many patients had pets at one time and miss the unconditional love they received from them. Some places have pet visitation programs with trained therapy dogs who visit and interact with patients. Others are hiring pet coordinators to aid in the care of residents’ pets. The organizations’ websites listed below includes more information about the benefits of using pets with the elderly.
http://www.petsfortheelderly.org
from Savedge, Jenn, ‘Dementia dogs’ give patients back their lives., http://www.mnn.com on 12-16-13.
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