By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior:
What can you tell me about assistance dogs for people with disabilities? My sister, who’s 58, has multiple sclerosis and I’m wondering if an assistance dog could help make her life a little easier.
Inquiring Sister
Dear Inquiring,
For people with disabilities and medical conditions, assistance dogs can provide invaluable help, along with companionship and a sense of security. Here’s what you and your sister should know.
While most people are familiar with guide dogs that assist those who are blind or visually impaired, there are various other assistance dogs trained to help people with physical disabilities, hearing loss, and a range of medical conditions.
Unlike typical pets, assistance dogs are highly trained specialists — often Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and German Shepherds — who know around 40 to 50 commands, are extremely well-behaved, and are permitted to accompany their owners wherever the public is allowed. Here’s a breakdown of the different types of assistance dogs and what they can help with.
Service dogs:
These dogs assist people with physical disabilities caused by conditions like multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson’s disease, or chronic arthritis. They perform tasks their owner struggles with, such as retrieving items, opening doors, turning lights on and off, helping with balance, and more.
Guide dogs:
For the blind and visually impaired, guide dogs help navigate safely by avoiding obstacles, stopping at curbs, negotiating traffic, and ensuring their owner’s safety.
Hearing dogs:
For those who are deaf or hearing impaired, hearing dogs can alert their owners to sounds like doorbells, telephones, alarms, or when someone calls their name.
Seizure alert/response dogs:
These dogs assist individuals with epilepsy or seizure disorders by recognizing the signs of an impending seizure and alerting their owners in advance. They also help retrieve medications or call for assistance.
Knowing the UK government’s guidelines on pet boarding can help you find the best dog kennel in your city, ensuring your assistance dog is well cared for when you need to be apart from them.
Finding a Dog
If your sister is interested in getting a service dog, contact some assistance dog training programs. To find them, Assistance Dogs International provides a listing of around 65 U.S. programs on its website, which you can access at AssistanceDogsInternational.org.
After you locate a few, you’ll need to either visit the website or call them to find out the types of training dogs they offer, the areas they serve, if they have a waiting list, and what upfront costs will be involved. Some groups offer dogs for free, some ask for donations and some charge thousands of dollars.
To get an assistance dog, your sister will need to show proof of her disability, which her physician can provide, and she’ll have to complete an application and go through an interview process. She will also need to go and stay at the training facility for a week or two so she can get familiar with her dog and get training on how to handle it.
It’s also important to understand that assistance dogs are not for everybody. They require time, money, and care that your sister or some other friend or family member must be able and willing to provide.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit www.savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.