JAPAN: Dogs provide physical companionship and emotional therapy for the elderly
- 00:03:13
- ITN Source
JAPAN: Dogs provide physical companionship and emotional therapy for the elderly
From doggie yoga to doggie therapy, there is almost nothing man's best friend can't do. Elderly residences at a nursing home in neighboring Tokyo are receiving canine care to take their minds off their troubles. The Pekingese dog, Momo chan, meaning 'peach' in Japanese has been visiting the nursing home "Rest Villa Omiya" once every two months since last year. Though the three-year old female dog performs small tricks like jumping and standing on two legs in front of dozens of elderly people, some of the wheelchair-bound people get one-on-one sessions with the dog. Some of the elderly tend to have fewer relatives and visitors -- making the dog visits extra special. "I hope they come again. I will keep well to meet them again," said 95-year-old Kura Kado with tears in her eyes "Dogs are very much like us in many ways. I enjoyed playing with her," said 85-year-old elderly residence Shigeru Nakazato. "Sometimes it is very difficult for human being to make patients relax even if he or she tries with deep affection. But dog can do it very easily." said pet owner Hatsue Nakamura who works for the nursery home and voluntary brings her pet to nursery homes after working hours. Nakamura decided to volunteer when she was asked by some elderly residences to bring her dog and saw the positive effect it had on the people. "She amazed me with her great performances even though she was such a tiny dog," added 89-year-old elderly residence Kimiko Yanase. Cheering them up is not easy task even for the trained dog, especially when they never stop coming up and touching her paws or tails throughout the entire hourly visit, Nakamura says. After serving at a nursing home, Momo-chan gets stressed out and suffers from the occasional loss of appetite, according to Nakamura. However she gets rewarded for the labor by being massaged from head to paw at home or sometimes at massage clinic exclusively for puppies.
ITN Source | August 12, 2006
