Animal assisted therapy already appears in the NHS guidelines as a form of dementia intervention thought to help depression and anxiety, and a three year pilot project is now taking place at Neville Williams House care home to see if this could really work.
As it stands the care home has two goats, one pig, two rabbits, a guinea pig, ducks, chickens and a number of birds, all of which are kept in the garden where the residents are able to visit them whenever they like.
Jane Fossey, a clinical psychologist and deputy chairman of The Society of Companion Animal Studies has said there is various evidence already in existence which supports the idea that animals improve quality of life for dementia sufferers.
One study in particular found that the presence of a fish tank seems to increase the nutritional intake of people with dementia and another study found that an animal companion helps to reduce verbal aggression and anxiety in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.
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