Dogs to be trained to help people with dementia

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-17861402

"A group of students have joined forces with Alzheimer Scotland to train dogs to help people with dementia. Dogs could be trained to remind people to take their medicine, help out around the home and raise the alarm in an emergency.
The idea won a competition run by the Design Council." - 26 April 2012

A very interesting idea of training dogs to help people living with dementia. Adapting a well-established approach with others with different disabilities and using the routine and bond that a dog loves, could be a way to help people. It is also a really nice way of reducing loneliness for people too.

One of the drawbacks I can't help thinking about is the care for the dog - the owners might not remember to feed the dog, exercise or even toileting. Monitoring of the care of the helper dog would be needed, particularly over time as things progress. Exercise would be another difficulty if the person is not really safe to go outdoors on their own?

Perhaps a computer screen/alarm that acts as a reminder for the person - flashing up a particular times "feed Doggy" etc. could help?

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/guide-dogs-for-the-mind-to-fight-dementia-7668395.html

One of the commentors on there have said very similar concerns, particularlt with feed, as well as the person could feed the dog the wrong sort of food too.

Dementia Dog

http://www.dementiadog.org/

Found their website: Dementia Dog - sounds like a superhero! They seem to have developed the idea quite a way since April.

What a lovely origins story. Four students at the Glasgow School of Art came up with the idea and from that a whole scheme has been set up. They won the competition set up by the Design Council and the UK Department of Health to find creative and innovative solutions to major health problems.

http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/

The sad thing is that they are not credited anywhere on the website, in the many press stores on in the 'about us' page. I can understand that students who have not yet finished their degrees might not have the full real-world set of skills to pull of such a scheme, I think it would be good to at least name them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-17849842

Found their names from a pdf here:

Phoebe Batham, John Flitcroft, Flora Arbuthnott and Luke McKinney.

Some images of the exhibitions of the student's work: