Therapy Dogs for the Elderly

As a dog owner I never thought of dogs as being a kind of therapy. Sure my dog brings me a lot of happiness and joy on a daily basis, but not until I read this article I came across did I realize how miraculous they can be. Dogs now days are used as therapy for the elderly. There has been a program created that allows dogs to go in assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and hospitals just to bring the patients some company, joy, and even a little help. A lot of these elderly patients are alone and can hardly take care of themselves. These dogs come in and not only put a smile on their face by the tricks they can do, but they also are trained to help them out around their quarters. These dogs can turn off lights, open the refrigerator, and pick up things that have dropped on the floor for them that they can’t reach. On top of all that they are in a way putting them back in good health because as we all know happiness heals you from them inside and out and cleanses the soul. Just by keeping a person’s spirits high can bring them through times when even a doctor can do no more, and that’s exactly what these dogs go in do for these elderly patients. It really helps you to realize and appreciate all that dogs do for us as humans. They protect and serve us by being K9’s on the police force and also search and rescue dogs. They help to be the eye’s for those who can’t see as Seeing Eye dogs. They have also been known to even detect early signs of cancer and epilepsy. Now they have their own health program that gives the elderly therapeutic treatment. There really are no limits to these remarkable creatures.

Although I have never looked at my dog in a therapeutic sense, I definitely couldn’t see my life without him. He brings me so much joy everyday just with the small things he does. Like if I leave for five minutes and come back maybe for something as simple as I left my lunch on the counter, he acts as if I have been gone for days! He jumps all around and licks my hands like he missed me so much in that short period of time. Or on the weekends when I am sleep and if it gets to be about twelve o’clock, he is pouncing on me, licking my face, and scratching my hands to tell me it’s time to get up and take him outside and to feed him. Times when I am upset or frustrated he will jump up in my lap and lick my tears away as if to tell me it is ok and to let me know he is here. It’s amazing to me how much animals can say without even having to use words.

Sometimes I think like how can one species be so loyal and love another species so much that is nothing like its own species. Dogs have an unconditional love for their owners that can’t be broken by any means. It is almost like the love a child has for their parents and I guess in a sense it is kind of the same because we have to take care of our dogs and teach them the same way as we have to take care and kids and teach them. I don’t have any kids but my dog Romeo comes close enough right now. I have to make sure he is fed and took out to use the bathroom. He has to go for his checkups at the vet every year. Then he has to go get groomed at Petsmart every two weeks. He can be a lot of work sometimes but the happiness he brings to our house makes it all worth it. He is the first face I see when I wake up in the morning and the last face I see when I go to bed and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Citation:
A place for Mom. (n.d). assisted-living.aplaceformom.com. Retrieved May 6, 2010, from http://assisted-living.aplaceformom.com/articles/therapy-dogs/.