My mom is blind, and has Alzheimer's. she is 85 and needs a walker to ambulate. She lives with my dad (89) in Florida who refuses to move either near one of his 3 daughters or to an adult facility. He insists that he can take care of mom with limited help, but frankly, it''s not working for either one of them! I wondered if a guide dog would help her (and him). She loves dogs and the relationship would be so great for her! Also, she could possibly take a daily walk around the block, something dad refuses to do. They have been depressed and stuck, a gentle animal trained ti assist mom could be a life-changer!
Thanks,
Jill
Jill
look what I found. Maybe this can help you.
That being said my Mom would wither without her dog. She has always had a love for dogs and relies so much on hers for comfort. My Dad has said after this one she cannot get another but he has said that for years and years--and she always seems to be able to come home with one from the shelter! (she gets old dogs) Of course now she cannot get around by herself but I still think my Dad would get another one for her.
There are organizations that do place therapy or service dogs and you go through an application process for that too, but it may not be as strenuous and might be a better possibility. Or, just adopting a dog that is mild-tempered and not too hard to care for might be a blessing too. Is there any home health they might accept, maybe someone who could be persuaded to help her do the walk around the block as part of a prescribed exercise program? There might be rules for agencies that require all services to be performed within the home, but maybe someone you hired privately could do that. I wonder also if there is anyone that does therapy animal visits at homes, as they might do in facilities - you could find the local therapy dog organizations and ask. This is not a bad idea and probably worth pursuing even if the conventional channels would not have anything to offer.