Alzheimer's patients can regain independence thanks to DOGS, experts say

Not only is it common knowledge that our four-legged friends can help to lower blood pressure and stress levels but they can also boost that all-important feel-good chemical serotonin. 

Then there are guide dogs who have transformed the lives of blind people plus therapy pets used to visit the sick and injured in hospitals and care homes, helping bring relief to those in pain. 

It is clear animals are nothing short of a wonder drug but can they help in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease? 

Last month this idea was recognised in Australia with the University of Melbourne, Dementia Australia and Seeing Eye Dogs Australia teaming up to pair 20 specially trained Labradors with dementia sufferers across the country, the aim being to help them regain control over their lives.  

“Training these dogs is very costly and they are being trained to the standards that you would expect of a seeing eye dog,” explains Professor Keith McVilly of the University of Melbourne. 

“Therefore the training is quite prolonged and requires technical specialists. 

“Those with dementia are stepping outside that whole role of being the person who is cared for to taking back some responsibility.” 

It is hoped that the dogs will provide each patient with an extra set of eyes and ears, particularly if they are confused, lost or agitated.  

Greer Gerson, a senior instructor from Seeing Eye Dogs Australia, says: “The dog is trained to sit automatically and stay by the person’s side so they don’t feel so alone.” 

This idea of dogs helping those living with Alzheimer’s regain independence has also been developed closer to home. 

The Dementia Dog Project, a Scottish charity founded in 2012, has trained four dogs to help sufferers. 

The project was set up to show how dogs can help people with dementia maintain their waking, sleeping and eating routines, as well as remind them to take medication and improve their confidence.  

Another British charity, Dogs For Good, trains dogs to support people with physical disabilities, learning difficulties and conditions ranging from autism to dementia. 

This is something I have been fortunate enough to witness first-hand. 

In 2009 while working as a journalist in the United States I met a man named Mike who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease five years earlier. 

He lived with his wife Casey and their seven-year-old golden retriever Cassandra in Los Angeles and Mike insisted that Cassandra was his lifeline. 

So deeply connected were Mike and Cassandra, that the lovable hound knew just when to fetch his medication, how to lean her head into his lap when Mike became agitated and could even guide him home if he got lost on his way back from the supermarket.  

It was remarkable to watch as Cassandra predicted Mike’s needs before he did and she dedicated herself to helping her owner every moment she could. 

The effect on Mike and his condition was incredible but amazingly Casey told me that Cassandra offered her some much-needed support too. 

As Mike’s sole carer, knowing she could trust Cassandra to look after him just as she would herself gave her some deserved respite. 

As Casey tells me: “The thing people don’t realise is that they give those with Alzheimer’s comfort but they also give us carers peace of mind.” 

It is estimated there are 800,000 people in the UK with dementia and the number affected is expected to double by 2040 – making it the 21st century’s biggest killer. 

Families are at the frontline of care and an army of 700,000 carers provide £11billion a year in unpaid and often unrecognised support so there is a clear need to find new ways to assist them.  

The idea that dogs can play an important role in helping families affected by the disease is one I have explored in my latest novel A Puppy Called Hugo. 

The book tells the story of a brave pug puppy who bonds with an Alzheimer’s sufferer, determined to bring some light back into the life of his owner and those around him. 

So what is it about dogs specifically that helps those living with dementia? 

Biologist Takefumi Kikusui of Azabu University in Japan argues that dogs and humans have a special connection unlike any other. 

In 2009 he conducted a study with 55 dog owners and their pets and found that when humans and dogs looked into one another’s eyes, a special bonding hormone known as oxytocin was released, creating a sort of chemical cuddle.  

“Humans use eye gaze for affiliate communications and are very much sensitive to eye contact,” he says. 

“Gaze, in particular – more than touch, for example – leads to the release of oxytocin. 

“This means that dogs have acquired this superior ability during the evolutionary process of living with humans.” 

Of course not every dementia sufferer has a specially trained dog, although many will have pets of their own. 

So can untrained animals also help those living with dementia?  

Kathleen Allen, from BrightFocus Foundation, an American non-profit organisation that supports research and provides public education on brain and eye diseases, thinks so. 

“Companionship, reducing anxiety and agitation, an excuse to get exercise and improving interactions and socialisation remain benefits of a pet in the home,” she says. 

“There are some considerations to remember when it comes to a pet at home though. 

Four-footed pets can be trip hazards for the elderly so that must be considered. 

And if the person with Alzheimer’s cannot remember to feed the pet someone else must be sure to do so.” 

Fiona Harrison is the author of A Puppy Called Hugo, published by HQ at HarperCollins, £9.99. It is available now in bookshops.