His dementia is doctor confirmed, he is a Veteran and he has hearing loss as well. We live in East Texas, his house is next to mine. He lives independently, but he really needs a 24/7 buddy. My father is 83. And does hear well even with his hearing aids. He has problems with his hips, and nightmares from the war.
How do I get him a service dog?
Here you go:
https://www.vadogs.org
Don't get his hopes up until you've found out much more about the scheme and whether they can help your father in particular, but never say never. It is *astonishing* what dogs can be trained to assist with.
I once met a Staffordshire bull terrier who was responsible for a man who suffered from epilepsy and handled his owner's partial absence seizure with aplomb in spite of the ignorance of the person (me) he (the dog) approached for help.
I did want to say that I think it’s a nice idea. I adore dogs. Honestly- I prefer dogs to most people. Because I do so love them I wanted to ask if you’ve really thought it through.
Regularly there are posts here regarding folks with dementia and their pets. Issues come up about the individual with dementia either forgetting to feed their dog or cat - that or they are over feeding them and/or feeding them things that are inappropriate and even dangerous. As you are right next door will you be helping to keep an eye out for the dogs well-being?
Also - sorry to sound insensitive- but given your fathers age - what will happen to the dog should your father need to move to a care facility or pass away - will you be willing to take ownership of the dog?
All of that said - I will warn you that service animals tend to be very expensive. Once, I looked into getting a dog from an organization that trained them to help individuals with Autism. The dogs were $10,000 and their was a looog waiting list.
Still, if this is something you really want to do after weighing the pros and cons - try starting with googling guide dogs for the blind. These groups are pretty much in every major city and someone there ought to be able to point you in the right direction.
Best of luck. There’s nothing like the love, loyalty and companionship of a good dog. At least, that’s my opinion.