Saturday, April 15th, 2017
For years, equine-assisted therapy has been a staple in helping veterans cope with their physical war-related injuries and struggles, their struggles with post-traumatic-stress-disorder (PTSD), and in helping disabled children build physical strength and create emotional connections. Now researchers are turning to horses once more to help those affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia conditions.
During an Alzheimer’s caregiver support group meeting, Charlotte Driver came across a flier for horse-involved therapy. Having cared for both her father and father-in-law during their struggles with Alzheimer’s disease, and caring for her mother, also diagnosed with the disease, Driver had no illusions about the disease and its impact on families. So, now that her husband Richard was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a condition that precedes Alzheimer’s, Driver was open to any therapy that might slow the progression of Richard’s eventual cognitive decline.