Someone wrote requesting info about Parkinson Dogs. One of the men in our
Central NY Parkinson's Support Group has one, and it has been wonderful for
him. The following is part of an article I wrote about this program back in
April, 1999, for our newsletter, "No Parkin' Zone."
The Parkinson's Walker Dog Program is run through Independence Dogs Inc. in
Chadds Ford, PA, and currently (as of 4/99) is the only Service Dog School
with the capacity for training Parkinson's Walker Dogs. This program is only
in its second year (1999).
The Program found the following facts via their pilot study:
1. The incidence of falling in PD patirents can be lowered by 80%.
2. The dog can break freezes.
3. Use of a dog will facilitate the restoration of a near normal walking
gait.
4. Use of a dog will enable the Parkinsonian to maintain his/her balance
much more effectively than canes or walkers.
5. A Parkinson's Walker Dog wil also retrieve all objects dropped by
his/her human partner.
`6. A dog will assist the Parkinsonian to regain a standing position,
negating the need for human assistance if he/she should fall.
The recipient of a Parkinson's dog must be willing to spend 3 weeks, free
of charge at the school in Chadds Ford, PA, to bond with the dog and learn to
work with him
or her as a safely funtioning team. There is no charge for the dog, though
recipients are asked to make a $200 contribution which will be applied to the
cost of the dog's specially designed custom made walker harness. It is also
required that the Parkinsonian recipient be accompanied by a caregiver for
the entire 3 weeks. It currently (1999) takes 6 monhts to 2 years to receive
a service dag after sending in an application.
For more info contact:
Independence Dogs, Inc.
146 State Line Rd.
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
(610)358-2723
Remember these details are 2 years out of date and things may have changed.
The one thing that hasn't changed, however, is the terrific help this dog has
been to our member. They rarely miss a meeting.
Hope this helps someone out there.
Marge Moylan
57/41/39
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