Anne from DFG said:
“This all happened because Dementia Friendly Gillingham went to Thorngrove to deliver a Dementia Awareness Session to the students and day service users, and we took one of our ‘Companion Pets’ to show them what we do to help people who have dementia.Needless to say the ‘Pet’ that we took up to Thorngrove found a new home, and it was such a pleasure to leave it behind for everyone to enjoy.
However, what did come as a surprise was when these lovely students decided that they wanted to raise money for us to be able to buy more ‘Companion Pets’, so other people in the community could get some pleasure from owning one of their own. That’s when they decided to do the sponsored run, the car wash and the cake stall.
Every penny of this money will now be used to provide ‘Companion Puppies’ or ‘Kittens’ to as many people as possible; so our next job is putting out an appeal for people to let us know if they know someone who is living in their own homes, or are caring for someone with dementia or memory loss, and who would benefit from owning one of these therapy pets. Often people are no longer able to keep a pet, and have gone through the heartache of no longer having the company of an animal in their lives.
Each robotic pet is completely realistic, they react to the touch or speech of the owner, they are weighted to feel like the real thing, and if the person falls asleep then the pet also goes in to sleep mode until the person wakes again.
So I am hoping this appeal with the help of the New Blackmore Vale Magazine will find some loving homes for the 6 ‘Companion Pets’ that we are able to purchase with the money raised. So if you are living in the SP8 area or one of the surrounding villages, please send me an email if you know of someone with dementia or memory loss and whose life would be improved by owning either a ‘puppy’ or a ‘kitten’.
Closing Date for nominations is January 31st 2024.
Please email nominations to: annemkings2@btinternet.com
