DEMENTIA DOG PROJECT
Scotland.
Program Description
Your own pet, with superpowers... A furry, full-time home helper... Tea, biscuits and a four-legged friend."
"People with dementia routines disintegrate as the disease progresses but the dogs will act as an anchor both in terms of the routine and also when they are out and about in the community - because the dogs are assistance dogs they can go anywhere so that encourages the person to get out and about and go anywhere."
"People with dogs often find that the community engage them far more than people without dogs."
Source: Video: Living Well With Dementia, by Dementia Dog.
Dementia Dog provides educational workshops to guide families affected by dementia who have, or would like to get, their own pet dog.
The organization matches up individuals with dementia with trained assistance dogs, placing them in the person's home with full training, support and evaluation.
The Dementia Dog Project provides therapy dogs that can improve confidence of those with dementia, keep individuals active in their community, and be a social companion.
Dementia Dog provides the following types of dementia assistance:
Dementia Assistance Dogs - provide assistive tasks to those with dementia such as waking, eating, exercising and going to the toilet, reminders such as prompts to take medicine, or support such as companionship.
Dementia Facility Dogs – can be a valuable resource for care homes looking to provide dementia activities for residents to assist in their emotional and physical well-being.
Dementia Therapy Dogs - trained dogs that work with people with dementia and their support team, such as Occupational Therapists Carers etc., assisting in completing tasks that they have lost the confidence to do unassisted.
Dementia Dog is collaboration between Alzheimer Scotland, The Glasgow School of Art, Dogs for the Disabled and Guide Dogs UK, combining dementia care professionals and trained assistance dogs.
source: dementiadog.org
Memorable Pets Program - Individuals, organizations or corporate sponsors donate a stuffed animal known as a 'memorable pet' to individuals with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia and provide a form of pet therapy to those in a dementia care facility or nursing home. Available in the USA, Canada, Ireland, UK, Australia and New Zealand through online ordering.
WATCH VIDEO ON DEMENTIA DOG PROJECT |