Elderly people at St Vincent de Paul will now be enjoying the company of service dogs five times per week as part of an agreement signed between the government and the Service Dogs Foundation.
Parliamentary Secretary for active ageing Anthony Agius Decelis visited the ward for elderly people within St Vincent de Paul this morning to launch the new scheme.
He said that international research has shown how service dogs can be a form of therapy for elderly people and help reduce the use of medicines. It has also been found that the use of service dogs with elderly people can help mitigate high blood pressure and cholesterol.
Decelis said that should this pilot project prove successful then the use of service dogs will be introduced at all homes for the elderly.
from The Malta Independent http://ift.tt/2FwG7ei
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