Robotic pets help seniors with dementia at TRMC

Troy Regional Medical Center now has Robotic Companion Pets that are used for therapy with its patients. These pets were designed for seniors with dementia to help them and their caregivers.

“Dementia Friendly Alabama is an advocate of the pets for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia” said Janet Stewart, TRMC marketing director. “Robotic companion pets have been shown to have remarkable effect on seniors with dementia. They are calming and soothing and bring the person back to a time in their life when they felt useful and had a sense of purpose.”

The robotic pets were inspired by real cats and dog, so they look, feel and sound like real animals.

Samantha Ford, the Senior Behavioral Care activities director, said the robotic pets bark or meow when petted and they also move their arms. Patients enjoy holding them, and often it reminds them of their own animals at home.

“The patients’ reactions are usually smiling and joyful. The pets have been a good coping mechanism for them,” Ford said.

Dogs and cats are most commonly used in pet therapy. However, other animals that meet screening criteria can also be used. The type of animal chosen depends on the therapeutic goals of a person’s treatment plan.

“Dementia Friendly Alabama gets the animals through a grant and our Senior Behavioral Care Unit is able to request one when we get a patient with dementia, who would benefit from a robotic companion pet,” Stewart said. “Dementia Friendly Alabama is a program the Central Alabama Aging Consortium.”

The Troy Regional Senior Behavioral Care Center is an 18-bed inpatient geropsychiatric unit that cares for patients who are 55 and older with psychiatric diagnoses. The care center is designed for people with psychiatric diagnoses, including clinical depression, psychiatric symptoms severe enough to cause interference with daily activities, high-risk behaviors related to dementia, suicidal thoughts or attempts, homicidal thoughts with poor impulse control and aultive destructive behavior

The Senior Behavioral Care Center treats through individual and group counseling, recreational activities, teaching coping skills, medication management and training, health awareness groups, family education, evaluation of the effectiveness of medication, and helping with a smooth transition back into the community.

Many of the patients come from nursing facilities and go back there when discharged. Amy Minor, Troy Regional Chief Clinical Officer, said some patients can take their animals with them at discharge, and the therapeutic benefits continue.

MJ Melton, Director of Social Services, said, “The reaction of the patient is passed onto nursing home staff at discharge so that they know to utilize the pet if/when behaviors arise. It can certainly help decrease the risk of hospitalization.”

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