Therapy For The Elderly With Alzheimer's Assisted By Animals

Animal assisted therapy is an intervention in which an animal is incorporated as part of the therapeutic process to promote an improvement in the physical, cognitive and psychosocial characteristics of patients.

According to some studies, animal-assisted therapy is a non-pharmacological treatment more beneficial for people suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Due to its high efficiency, it is used in conjunction with other activities of cognitive stimulation that are carried out daily in institutions. Among them, we have music therapy, art and physical exercise.

On the other hand, it must be borne in mind that the controlled contact between a person with Alzheimer's and an animal is very beneficial cognitive, social, emotional and autonomy. In fact, since affective memory is the last to disappear in a person with Alzheimer's, it is possible to create a positive emotional bond for both.

Efficacy of animal-assisted therapy in the treatment of Alzheimer's

There are many studies that confirm the benefits of animal-assisted therapy for elderly people with Alzheimer's or other degenerative diseases. The main objective of this type of non-pharmacological treatment is to improve the quality of life of these people. This is achieved by focusing on four key areas of life: physical, cognitive, emotional and social.

Animals can become the best remedy for patients. His mood improves dramatically with simple daily contact with a pet.

The use of this type of therapy is one of the most sought after options by both public and private institutions. This is due to the fact that it provides benefits for patients immediately. Especially if we are talking about the initial stages of this type of dementia so common.

The most common animals in this type of therapy are puppies, but we can also use cats and even horses, although these are used in smaller proportions. At first, no dog breed is ideal for this type of therapeutic work.

The only requirement is that the animal has been properly adhered. That is why, generally, the work is done with breeds like Labrador or Golden Retriever, the Yorkshire Terrier or the German Shepherd.

The selection of animals used in animal-assisted therapy must be very rigorous. In this way, they must meet the criteria of control, adaptability, predictability and reliability. In addition, they should also inspire confidence in the entire therapeutic team.

Benefits of animal-assisted therapy for people with Alzheimer's

1- Improvement of skills

Pets help people suffering from Alzheimer's disease to improve things like motor skills and balance. Activities such as walking with the animal, combing it, feeding it and interacting with it in any way facilitate motor and sensory abilities. In this way, therapists can use these animals to help patients develop autonomy.

In addition, a pet provides support and is a new incentive that encourages communication, arouses interest and attracts attention, which favors concentration, for example.

2- Better quality of life

The relationship with animals provides patients with an improvement in the quality of life. In addition, it also helps improve attention and communication skills.

Domestic animals used in animal-assisted therapy are specifically trained to interact with the elderly in advance. Therefore, only their presence and companionship already bring greater well-being and happiness. They bring serenity and also help to create a sense of responsibility, since having animals at home requires the performance of certain tasks, so that the elderly feel more useful.

3- Strengthening of memory

As this type of therapy is also possible to make people suffering from Alzheimer do not forget the basic activities of daily life, such as combing or folding clothes. This is due to the fact that they are responsible for the life of another living being. In this way, most of them associate their responsibilities to animals with some responsibility they have in relation to themselves.

4- Improvement of humor

This type of therapy is also used to reduce agitation and aggression in people with dementia. An animal constitutes a strong motivating stimulus in the hands of a professional. In this way, it generates positive emotions and facilitates and improves personal relationships and communication within a group.

On the other hand, the attention that an animal requires can favor the practice of physical, cognitive and social activities, and strengthen self-esteem and improve general well-being.

The results achieved with animal-assisted therapy are a very interesting novelty for researchers who are dedicated to understanding Alzheimer's disease. A pet can change the life of a person with dementia. This is due to the fact that it can offer a motivation to keep busy, favor physical activity and maintain an emotional balance.

Today, we still do not have a cure for dementias. However, the therapies seek to at least reduce the impact of this type of disease in the lives of older people. Therefore, it should be sought to stop the advance of cognitive deterioration and delay the appearance of complications on a day-to-day basis. Animal-assisted therapy can be used to control behavioral disorders and address the specific health problems that arise in these cases.