Living with animals
"When we come to the dementia flat with our dogs, the residents really blossom. Even people who are very withdrawn become lively and cheerful again when they come into contact with the animals. Many remember their childhood and talk about the dog they had as a child, for example.
Volunteers visit social institutions with their animals
pme colleague Renate "Rastu" Rasmus is a member of the association Leben mit Tieren e.V., where volunteers visit social institutions such as retirement homes, residential communities for people with dementia, kindergartens and schools with their own dogs.
Volunteers are specially trained for these visiting services and the animals also undergo a suitability test to ensure that they feel comfortable during the visits and remain calm even in stressful situations.
"The residents of the dementia flat share are thriving"
For almost eight years, Rastu and her dog Lotta regularly visited a residential community for people with dementia in Berlin. It was always a touching experience for Rastu: "The residents often didn't know my name even after many visits - they all knew my dog's name after a short time.
Since Lotta "retired", Rastu has taken care of the organization of the association as second chairperson. "We are always happy to receive donations, for example to train our volunteers and provide professional support for the visiting services," she says.
