Assistance Dogs For People With Dementia And Their Carers

[Macha]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/9680815.Pooches_help_to_spark_happy_memories_at_Alzheimer___s_Support_in_Devizes/

an article about two rescued whippets who are doing a great job as PAT dogs at an Alzheimer Support unit

These two whippets are not highly trained assistance dogs, but there is fascinating work being done with training dogs to assist dementia sufferers and their human carers. A pilot project is being started in Scotland. The training technique was developed in Israel and there are now many training centres in the US training Dementia Assistance Dogs. I've also read of similar work in Australia (the Israeli trainer Yaviv Ben-Josef travelled to Australia to train dogs and trainers) and I expect dogs are doing this job in other countries as well.

The dogs trained in Israel were smooth collies. Other training centres seem to be mostly training labradors and German shepherds. I have, however, met a Swedish whippet who is trained as a mobility support dog for his owner. He lifts things for her and can even put her bank card in the ATM slot; I don't suppose he's been given the security code to key in! Whippets are too slight to help a fallen person get up, so this dog has just been trained to circle and bark to call for human assistance.

Some articles re dementia assistance dogs:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/guide-dogs-for-the-mind-to-fight-dementia-7668395.html

http://www.kingsvalleycollies.com/about/alzheimers-aid-dogs

http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2012/09/service-dog-enriches-alzheimers-patients-life/

 

[eingana]

We're considering putting Molly through all of the PAT dog tests so that she will be insured for going into the dementia unit where she's been visiting for cuddles and pork scratchings anwyay. She's not a trained assistance dog either, but she will sit endlessly and let people stroke her ears or muzzle, which is what seems to help the patients that are missing their own dogs.

Animals connect with people in ways that we cannot explain in just words. People with dementia are struggling with all sorts of things and if a snuggle from a dog or cat makes you happier then who are we to interfere with that?

 

[Rubybeak]

How does one go about making a dog a pat dog.xx

 

[Strix]

this is what drives me nuts about the current 'no dogs' situation we're in

I'm sick of hearing 'some people don't like dogs'

The good that dogs do people, just by being around is being erroded, and the hoops that have to be jumped through is just ridiculous

There are plenty of people who just find day to day living much easier if their dog is around them, but these days thousands has to be spent on training a support dog, or a person's requirements aren't severe enough to justify the support of such an expensive scheme, when all that's required is that a nice, faithful dog is permitted to accompany their owner going about their daily business