Alan Jacobs


#
They already guide blind and disabled people; now dogs are to be trained to help people with dementia. The duties of these “guide dogs for the mind” will include reminding their owners to take medication, as well as encouraging them to eat, drink and sleep at regular intervals.

The dementia dogs will be trained to respond to sound triggers in the home that prompt them to perform tasks. These could include delivering a bite-proof bag of medicine with a note inside reminding the patient to take it, or waking them up in the morning.