A new California company has created what it says is a revolutionary way to let dementia patients continue to love and be loved by a pet without the demands of every day care.
Taking care a pet can be difficult if not impossible for seniors who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, as Tombot founder and CEO, Tom Stevens painfully discovered with his own mother when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s eight years ago.
He said the most difficult day he had, when caring for his mother, was taking away her beloved dog because she could no longer care for the pet. Stevens teamed up with Jim Henson’s world-renowned Creature Shop and created Tombot, an affordable and lifelike dog to help people like his mother.
Robotic animal companion can provide seniors with a stronger sense of control, connectedness and purpose, and in turn ultimately reduce their symptoms as well as the need for psychotropic medications.
That's a good boy.