First dementia dogs start work with owners
by Eleanor Bradford for BBC News:
The first ever "dementia dogs" have been working with their new owners.
The dogs have been trained to help people with early-stage dementia and can remind them to take their medicine and help them get out and about.They were the brainchild of a group of students from Glasgow School of Art. The students suggested that dogs could be trained to help people with dementia in the same way that guide dogs help people who are blind.With the support of Alzheimer Scotland, Dogs for the Disabled and Guide Dogs Scotland, two dogs underwent 18 months of training. Golden retriever Oscar and Labrador Kaspa have been working with their new owners for four months, after 18 months of training.They have been taught to respond to alarms and bring medicine pouches, to nudge their owners to read a reminder and to encourage them to get out of bed in the morning.Ken and Glenys Will cannot believe how much difference Kaspa has made to their lives. Ken had become frightened of being alone after being diagnosed with dementia three years ago."Kaspa is the best thing that's ever happened to us," said Glenys. "We can go shopping and the dog will sit with Ken. I don't need to worry about him. We're both more relaxed."While she is working as a lollipop lady, Glenys can now leave reminders beside an alarm for Ken."If I need the oven on, I'll leave a note beside the alarm in the kitchen. When the alarm goes off Kaspa nudges and nudges Ken until he's glad to get up. It's just amazing."Making progressFrank Benham has also noticed a big difference in his wife Maureen since Oscar was placed with them. Maureen had lost confidence because she found it hard to hold conversations. Now they are out every day."You meet people in the street and it's a conversation starter, especially if Maureen knows them."