Dementia Patient's Robot Dog Helps Her Memory

A woman with dementia beams with joy thanks to the help of a robotic dog which helps her remember her pooches of the past. Tear-jerking footage shows just how much the robotic companion means to Cindy Ransom, who, when asked to pet the dog, immediately lights up with a smile and begins to do so. Cindy, 58, loves the dog so much she uses four C batteries a week petting the companion - an outlay her son, Darren, said has been totally worth it. It was 33-year-old Darren’s idea to get the dog, as throughout her life, Cindy - who suffers from Huntington’s disease - had always had Chihuahuas around the house, and her robotic dog is actually named after her last pet Chihuahua, Lola. In 2007, Cindy’s husband died, and the same year she was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease. Darren, who lives in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, took ownership of Cindy’s dog when she was placed in a home, but due to the stresses of work, he was required to give it up to another home. This meant that Cindy was no longer given that portal back into her past, and without the connection to her beloved Chihuahuas, she became very down. But having seen a documentary that featured robotic dogs as companions for dementia patients, Darren though he would try to source one to help comfort his mother. Little did he know that the purchase would be such a success - and when he filmed Cindy’s reaction to receiving the pet earlier this summer, the look on her face told the whole story. Since that day, as well as getting through so many batteries, Cindy’s mood has vastly improved, Darren said, and at night nurses have to take the dog from her and pretend to put it at the foot of the bed because she loves to pet it so much.
Release Status:
TV & Digital
Advertising
Location: Ontario, Canada
  • Date Acquired09-22-2019
  • Date Filmed06-16-2019
  • OrientationVertical
  • Footage TypeCell Phone
  • Rights TV & Digital, Commercial, Publishing

Dementia Patient's Robot Dog Helps Her Memory

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