Animal-assisted Therapy For Patients With Alzheimer’s

According to some studies, animal-assisted therapy is one of the best non-medical treatments for Alzheimer’s patients.

There are currently five medications to treat cognitive problems that are a result of Alzheimer’s disease. Four of them are acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and the last one is an NMDA receptor blocker. 

According to studies, patients do not benefit much from its use and no medication has clearly shown a delay or halt in the progression of this disease.

Due to the effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy in Alzheimer’s patients, it is now used in conjunction with other cognitive stimulating activities in a number of institutions, such as music therapy, laughter therapy, and simple physical activities.

In addition, you must remember that the controlled interaction between patients with Alzheimer’s and an animal is quite beneficial on a cognitive, social, emotional and autonomous level.

Because emotional memories are the last memories that disappear from the brain of a person with Alzheimer’s disease, it is therefore quite possible to create a positive emotional bond between the patient and the animal. Let’s dive deeper into this.

The effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy in Alzheimer’s patients

Many studies show the benefits of animal-assisted therapy in people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. The main goal of these non-medical treatments is to improve the quality of life of these people. 

Furthermore, this is achieved by focusing on four basic areas in a patient suffering from this disease: physical, cognitive, emotional and social.

Many of us already know that animals are the best medicine for patients with all kinds of ailments. This is because the patient’s mood improves noticeably after simple contact with a pet.

Animal-assisted therapy is one of the most sought-after options in both public and private institutions because it provides immediate benefits to patients, most noticeably in the early stages of this type of neurodegenerative disease. 

Patients usually work with dogs. But cats and horses are also used occasionally. In principle, any dog ​​breed can function in therapy. The only requirement is to use one that has appropriate training for this purpose. The most commonly used dog breeds for this job are labrador retriever, golden retriever, yorkshire terrier and sheepdog.

With this in mind, the selection criteria are strict. Thus, the animal should meet the criteria of reliability, predictability, control and adaptability. In addition, they must inspire confidence in the entire therapy team.

Benefits of animal-assisted therapy

1. Improvements in motor skills

Animal-assisted therapy helps Alzheimer’s patients improve motor skills and balance. Simple activities such as walking, brushing, feeding and interacting with the animal in one way or another, facilitate motor and sensory capacity. Thus, therapists can use these animals to help patients become more independent.

In addition, a supportive pet responds to communicative stimuli, arouses interest, focuses attention and promotes concentration.

2. Improved quality of life for Alzheimer’s patients with animal-assisted therapy

Animals allow these patients to have someone to love, and thus something to look forward to, which leads to an improved quality of life. In addition, animal-assisted therapy helps improve their attention and communication skills.

The pets used in this form of therapy are specifically trained to interact with older people. Therefore, they can create a greater sense of well-being and happiness only by their own presence and company. 

In addition, they provide peace of mind while helping patients take responsibility for certain tasks, making them feel useful.

3. Improved memory

With this form of therapy, people with Alzheimer’s do not forget the basic activities of everyday life, such as buttoning their clothes or combing their hair. This is because they are responsible for the life of another creature. Most of them are particularly concerned about not forgetting to take care of their pet friend.

4. Animal-assisted therapy for patients with Alzheimer’s improves mood

This form of therapy also reduces irritation and aggression in people with dementia. Furthermore, an animal provides a highly motivating stimulus in the hands of a professional.

This generates positive emotions and also facilitates, and enhances, personal relationships and communication within a group.

On the other hand, promoting the attention an animal requires physical, cognitive and social activity in addition to building self-confidence and improving overall well-being. 

Conclusion

A pet can significantly change the life of a person with dementia. This is because having someone to love and who needs them is a strong motivation, which in turn promotes them on a physical and emotional level.

Although there is no cure for most degenerative diseases such as dementia, animal-assisted therapy seeks to reduce their impact. For the most part, the goal of this form of therapy is to slow the progression to cognitive impairment and delay complications. Animal-assisted therapy is used to control behavioral disorders and addresses specific health problems that may occur.