Julie Hancox: Chief Executive of Assistance Dogs Trust NZ

JULIE HANCOX Chief Executive, Assistance Dogs Trust New Zealand gives her opinion to Liam Butler regarding how Assistance Dogs can support older people who manage a disability.

JULIE HANCOX:

Unlike other New Zealand organisations training dogs for disability, Assistance Dogs New Zealand (ADNZ) are not restricted to one group of disability and consequently we are able to train and place dogs with people living with a range of combination and complex disabilities.

Assistance Dogs New Zealand has its own breeding programme, using dogs that come from a long line of ancestors that have worked in the field of disability. Dogs bred from our own breeding programme currently have a 99 per cent success rate of graduating our programme and going on to work with a client.

As a small growing organization that receives no government funding, we appreciate that each dollar spent to raise and train an ADNZ dog has been gained through the generosity of our community, loyal donors and supporters. So every hour spent in the rearing, training and placement of an Assistance Dog that results in a successful outcome, will reduce the time our applicants spend on our waiting list, making us more effective in meeting our vision “To be the leading Assistance Dog provider in New Zealand”.

An ADNZ Assistance Dog out working in our community provides the opportunity to change lives of individuals and families. The Assistance Dog will work hard to overcome the disadvantages brought about by an impairment or loss of function by the tasks he/she is taught, but they will also bring the community closer to that individual allowing opportunities for all parties to touch and to interact breaking down the unseen barriers that so many people living with a disability experience.

Many of our ADNZ dogs are working with children with disabilities such as autism and Down Syndrome, diabetic alert and undiagnosed complex conditions but we also have dogs working with adults.

Assistance Dogs may also be trained to work with disabilities such as Dementia and Traumatic Brain injury. An assessment of each client is carried out to determine what tasks can realistically be taught to the dog that will help the client in a practical and consistent manner. Tasks that may be considered for a client with dementia may be that of teaching the dog to find particular destination. This means that if the client becomes disorientated the assistance dog will take the leadership role and return the client to a known destination so that the person knowing the client at that destination can then assist them further.

ADNZ dogs receive training in road crossings. Providing the assistance dog with an awareness of moving traffic, the dogs are taught to stop at curbs and may even refuse to cross the road if a car is too close. This is also a useful task for an assistance dog for a client with dementia and may add an additional safety factor when the client is crossing roads. In addition the dogs are taught to cross roads so that the least amount of time is spent on the road. This means no diagonal crossings. Traffic is also alerted to be more cautious when they identify the blue harness of the Assistance Dog as pedestrian clients proceed in crossing the road.

Aged clients may also have difficulties with falling and tripping. This can be especially true when concentration is needed for other tasks that were previously performed without difficulty. Assistance Dogs can be taught to respond to a fall by staying with the client (as comfort) or fetching help. ADNZ dogs may be taught to brace their body so that a client can use them to help themselves back up or to re-balance themselves in case of a ‘slight dizzy’ spell.

In the same way that each application that is accepted receives an assessment by ADNZ instructor to determine what individualised training is needed, the Assistance Dog is also assessed as to which job he/she might best perform in our community. Not all dogs will be suitable for older clients or clients with dementia so it is fantastic that dogs not suitable for this type of role can be considered for other people on our ever growing waiting list with different disabilities.

Assistance Dogs must perform tasks that mitigate disability and should not be considered as therapy or companion dogs. Assistance Dogs New Zealand is certified through Government so our dogs receive all the legal rights of access that any other member of the public receives – supermarkets, malls and so on.

If you would like to make a donation or legacy to Assistance Dogs New Zealand please contact Wendy Isaacs on wendy@assistancedogstrust.org.nz

If you would like to know more about Assistance Dogs New Zealand please email info@assistancedogstrust.org.nz or visit our website www.assistancedogstrust.org.nz

Liam Butler is a Nelson based Social Worker who also contributes to insitemagazine.co.nz by asking leaders in the health and disability sector their opinion on issues affecting New Zealand’s aged care and retirement sector.

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