Although not everyone is a dog person, it is likely that the majority of people have had at least one dog at some point in their lives. Folks in nursing homes have long enjoyed periodic visits from pets, who connect with the elderly and allow them some tactile, affectionate interaction. Now researchers in New Zealand are demonstrating how pets — and particularly dogs — are helping Alzheimer’s patients recall aspects of their lives through the sensory stimulus of interacting with a dog.
The dogs’ visits provided a sensory experience for patients and helped them recall memories, especially if they had owned pets themselves.
“People are drawn to the dog a bit like a magnet,” Haslam said.
For King-Turner, a visit from the golden retriever sparked memories of her childhood dog, Stroke, which lived to 25 on her family’s farm.
Our own family includes an extremely gentle Golden Retriever, Murphy (left), and it’s easy to see how the aging and those with dementia could connect with such a calm, loving creature. This demonstrates, quite importantly, how Alzheimer’s patients retain a tremendous capacity for emotional connection and meaningful interaction even when other aspects of memory and logical, linear thought begin to break down. This is a great lesson for the rest of us.
