Dementia affects millions of elderly people all over the world. This condition is mainly caused by Alzheimer’s, which affects brain function. It’s a debilitating condition that causes memory loss and certain physical functions. The best way to help delay the onset of dementia and to prevent the symptoms from getting worse is by stimulating brain activity.
In London, an aged care home called The Meadow figured out a way to help their elderly resident with dementia. Most people have very fond memories of dogs. The staff and volunteers at the aged care facility thought that it would be nice to help bring out the happy memories their residents have with dogs, which will help stimulate their brain activity.
So, they decided to bring in a dog named Marley once a week to visit the facility. The elderly residents love being visited by Marley. Marley and his owner, Lisa, are both volunteers for TheraPaws, which is a nonprofit organization that trains dogs to become therapy dogs. TheraPaws also bring dogs to hospitals to visit patients.
Something magical happens whenever Marley and Lisa visit The Meadow. The eyes of the elderly residents light up, and something in them seems to come out. For people with bad cases of dementia, they have this moment of lucidness where they become themselves before they were affected by the disease.
Whenever Marley comes for a visit, the stress levels of the residents go down significantly. Marley’s visit also helps tackle loneliness and depression among the residents. The joy the residents feel whenever Marley comes to visit is priceless.
Most residents who are usually quiet because of dementia become more active and engages in full conversation with fellow residents. They remember their childhood pets, and they tell everyone about how lovely their pets were. Having Marley certainly helped the residents with their mental health. Here’s a heartwarming video of how Marley helps people with dementia.
Video Source IBTimes UK via YouTube
