What do Service Animals do for Seniors?
Service animals are a well-known and helpful thing that many people can benefit from. Service dogs love their owners, they are companions, and they truly help someone live independently. If your senior is going through many changes in life and senior home care is not enough for them, it may be time to look into getting a service dog. Senior home care may not be around 24/7 unless you find multiple people to be with the senior.
Finding the perfect service dog can take a long time but is so worth it when you see the difference a dog can make in a senior’s life. Not all seniors will qualify for a service dog, and not all dogs can be service dogs. Often, people interchange the terms emotional support animal and service animal together, but they are two different things for different cases. It will be important to understand what a service dog can help with and how they impact someone’s life.
You may have a few questions that need to be answered. Can senior home care help take care of the animal? Where can you get a service dog? What is a service dog capable of? These are all great questions, and you should know them before considering this direction. Senior home care will be able to help take care of smaller chores around the house. This may include feeding the dog, making sure they have water, and keeping the house on a tight routine. Senior home care may also be able to drive the senior to and from vet appointments with the dog or any other appointments. It truly depends on what the caregiver is comfortable with and what they’re responsible for.
Where Can a Senior Get a Service Dog?
Senior Home Care Wilmette, IL: Seniors and Service Animals
A service dog is a dog that helps perform daily tasks and does things on its own to help the individual live better. This includes everyone, not just seniors. They are purposely trained to help the individual live better and sometimes on their own. Keep in mind that only dogs can be considered service animals. Many people have an easy time qualifying for a service dog, but getting one can be tricky.
To get a service dog, you need to find someone who has already trained the service dog extensively to help someone with a disability. This can be the hardest part depending on what your senior needs. Not all dogs are trained the same. If you cannot find someone who has trained the dogs, then you need to find an agency in your area that can help you. This may be more expensive than an emotional support or therapy animal.
Who Qualifies for a Service Dog?
To qualify for a service dog the individual must be older than 14 and have some kind of disability. This could be a chronic illness, a neurological disorder, or a physical disability. The senior or whoever needs that service animal must be able to participate in the training exercises before getting the dog. They will also need to handle their dog on their own, if they are not capable of doing this they may be denied.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Home Care in Wilmette, IL, contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786. Our home care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas.
Sources:
https://screening.mhanational.org/content/how-do-i-get-service-animal/
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