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Furry Friends Are Good Medicine For Dementia Patients

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With the number of Americans over the age of 65 increasing at an unprecedented rate, many senior citizens are entering long-term care facilities suffering from dementia. Most of these facilities have restrictions that prevent residents from bringing their beloved pets with them. This can be very disheartening for people who are already confused by their new surroundings.

People with advanced dementia will respond to the comforting presence of an animal even if they respond to little else. For this reason, many progressive nursing homes and other long-term care facilities incorporate pet therapy as part of their treatment programs. Therapy pets are often used in hospices, nursing homes, short term facilities and assisted living facilities to encourage therapeutic interaction. (Nursing homes were among the first settings to open their doors to the concept of pet therapy which was “officially” introduced 30 years ago.)

Pet therapy programs typically involve regular visits from pets with whom seniors can interact. Playing, touching and talking to an animal can be especially comforting for a person who is having difficulty communicating. A pet, after all, is a nonjudgmental listener who won’t notice if you have used the wrong word or scold an Alzheimer’s patient for telling the same story four or five times.

Therapy dogs can elicit responses from nursing home patients who are typically withdrawn and limited in their abilities. Stroking the back of a dog leads to more movement from the patient and consequently, increased physical activity. Many people with dementia suffer periods of agitation, especially in the evening hours. This is referred to as “sundowning.” Studies have shown that regular contact with a pet can help decrease anxiety and help increase feelings of calm and well-being, even after the difficult evening hours.

In addition to the emotional benefits, pets can also have positive effects on physical health. Over the last two decades, studies have linked pet ownership with lower blood pressure and with increased chances of survival after a heart attack.

Not every dog or cat is suitable for work as a therapy pet. Animals working with Alzheimer’s patients have to be extremely calm. Like a small child, a person with advanced dementia may not know how to respond appropriately to a pet and may accidentally startle it or pull at its fur. The animal’s tendency should be to withdraw rather than to attack. Any breed of dog can provide therapy if it has the right temperament.

Pet therapy is destined to become even more popular as more and more Americans enter their golden years. The 65-plus population, which is particularly vulnerable to loneliness and stress-related diseases, can reap enormous benefits from pet companionship.

The best tonic that pets provide is unconditional love. And unconditional love from a furry friend is good medicine at any age.