A dog as a therapist for people with Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder characterized by the deterioration of cognitive functions and memory. People with Alzheimer's are forgetful, confused, and disoriented. Their behavior and personality can change completely. They often become suspicious, hostile, and aggressive.

For family, friends, and loved ones, this is a heavy burden, as they are often no longer able to reach them. Alzheimer's patients live a large part of the time in their own world and seem unaware of the present, of their life at this moment. Their memories sound confused and they are no longer themselves, at least not in the eyes of their loved ones.
Animals seem able to ‘bring people with Alzheimer’s back down to earth’, making them aware of themselves and their lives again, both the past and the present.

Dogs have long been involved in Alzheimer's therapy, especially to alleviate the so-called sundown syndrome. Sundown syndrome appears in the early evening (sun down, when the sun sets). Patients then become restless, are confused, and wander around aimlessly. They often become aggressive and start hitting, kicking, or biting. Research has shown that the presence of a dog calms Alzheimer's patients, even at nightfall.

Recently, researchers investigated whether the company of a dog had an effect on the consciousness of people with Alzheimer's. The patients were filmed during the visit of a therapy dog and a handler. During the time they spent with the dog, they were much more alert, reminisced, reflected, and expressed their feelings. It was easier to reach them during these visits.

Dogs can make people with Alzheimer's disease more aware of themselves and their lives, make them more communicative, and reduce their agitation. According to researchers, dogs often have more effect than medication and deserve an important place in Alzheimer's therapy. Other animals can also have this effect, but most research so far has been done with dogs.

Swall A, Ebbeskog B, Lundh Hagelin C, Fagerberg I. Can therapy dogs evoke awareness of one’s past and present life in persons with Alzheimer’s disease? Int J Older People Nurs. 2014 May 10.
McCabe BW, Baun MM, Speich D, Agrawal S. Resident dog in the Alzheimer’s special care unit. West J Nurs Res. 2002 Oct;24(6):684-96.