Dementia Family Dog Workshop Webinar

allit

I started following this group that’s based in Scotland because my wife who is in the early stage of Alzheimer’s expressed interest in getting a service dog. This free webinar is an “educational workshop to guide families affected by dementia who have, or would like to get, their own pet dog”

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dementia-family-dog-workshop-tickets-1098145776579?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0Ai2WB-uXRJ7BqbEyVdKSTVf-mCo7Qcx8QZv0l4VNU60jhlORxrLKzsGs_aem_VQxBv4ww_6SRoBv4aATg8Q

SusanB-dil

Hi allit - It sounds wonderful in theory, particularly in early stages, but I would be very cautious about adding a dog into the alz mix.

Just something to think on: The caregiver is the one who will end up taking care of both the dog and their LO, there is an added trip hazard, and you'd have to watch out for the dog to make sure their interactions are ok. (If the PWD ends up moving, or when PWD is getting agitated, you'd have to be sure there would be no harm to the dog neither verbally nor physically.)

Phoenix1966

As @SusanB-dil mentioned, there is the potential for the PWD to injure the dog. My grandmother reached a point that when the 9lb. dog sat on her lap, she would slip her fingers under the dog's collar and start to twist, choking the dog. My mother and I were her 24/7 caregivers and we had to stop the dogs from getting near her because we could not trust my grandmother not to choke the dog to death.

SusanB-dil

Also that MIL wants to feed and feed and feed her cat. DH put one day's supply in a jar and she can feed cat out of that jar as much as she wants 'til it runs out. Cat was getting a bit chunky. We hid the remainder of the food until the next day's jar.