Canine callers help people with dementia
The Dementia Dog charity, a project of Alzheimer Scotland and Dogs for Good, uses specially trained dogs to help people with dementia and their carers.
When the coronavirus pand e mi c h i t , c h a r i t y wo r ke r s came up with the virtual bingo games to reduce social isolation – with a Golden Retriever and a Lab Cross retriever selecting the balls.
Dogg y bingo sessions take p l a c e t h r o u g h v i d e o c a l l s across Scotland, with 70 group sessions so far.
The charity's canine callers include Billy, a four-year-old black Lab cross Retriever and Georgie, a four-year-old Golden Retriever.
Carla Haizelden, a dementia community dog handler in Glasgow, hosts the bingo with Billy.
S h e s a i d : "D o g g y b i n g o i s very straightforward and easy to play. The players can watch Billy go and fetch a ball with a random number on it from a container.
"He passes it to me and I read out the number.
"Although the dogs are all very well trained we do allow them to have their own personalit y so it's only natural that they sometimes get distracted and go off.
"There have been times during a game when Billy walks off to get my slippers or a toy instead of a bingo ball and that always gives everyone a bit of a laugh.
"He also gets impatient and whines when I'm talking too much because he wants to get on with playing the game and pick the numbers."
The bingo has been so successful the charit y plans on training a p ool of Dementia Dog volunteers with their own trained pet dogs to help in the New Year.
Donna Paterson, dementia adviser at Alzheimer Scotland,
s a i d : "T h e f e e d b a c k f o r t h e online bingo has been incredibly positive.
"Par ticipants can't wait for the next session, they want to know when it is and they love the fact that it's the dog that picks the bingo balls.
"They're quite a competitive bunch and they're really enjoying the banter online – it's been a highlight for them and us and a real boost of positivit y in the day."
Dementia Dog also offers virtual dog walks, which connect a dog handler and their dog
with the person with dementia and their carer using a secure video link, and other services.
Jeannette and Jon King live in Aberdeen and have a foury e a r - o l d L a b r a d o r, L e n ny, from the charity.
Mr King, 77, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's four years ago.
Ms K i n g , 74 , s a i d : "L e n ny has changed our live s. Getting Lenny is one of the best t h i n g s I ' ve d o n e i n my l i f e . Whe n yo u o r yo u r p a r t n e r receive a diagnosis, it feels like your life is closing down, but
Lenny has opened up a new world. Jon has suffered from severe depression for many years but Lenny provide s a p ositive star t to the day. He makes Alzheimer's that little less frightening."
A C a n a d i a n s t u d y o f U K d a t a l a s t w e e k f o u n d t h a t l o n e l i n e s s i n c r e a s - e s t h e r i s k o f A l z h e i - mer's by re-wiring the brain. It alters an area linked to daydreaming and thinking about the past or future to fill the gap.