Robotic animals used at Ontario health centre prove to be important tool to sooth dementia patients

globalnews.ca

http://globalnews.ca/news/3196306/robotic-animals-used-at-ontario-health-centre-prove-to-be-important-tool-to-sooth-dementia-patients/

The purring sound is unmistakable.

As 86-year-old Bruce Hickey, looks down at the kitty and give it a pat, its head tilts.

“You’re cute. Wow,” exclaimed Hickey.

But the cat isn’t real. It is a robotic feline which interacts with people.

Hickey’s daughter said the fake feline has proven to be a great companion.

“When he is having a happy day and there is something that can make him happy, that’s a big difference for us,” said Diane Penner.

Robotic cats and dogs have become little short of heroes at Ontario Shores’ Geriatric Dementia Unit.

Research has shown pet therapy with live animals can reduce anxiety, but it is impractical to have animals in an institution 24 hours a day.

Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences decided to see if a substitute would work, and it did.

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