ROBOTS posing as fluffy four-legged friends are being used to help calm dementia patients in hospital.
Therapy animals have always been popular among patients at Colchester Hospital - and now they have been given a hi-tech upgrade.
Two robo-pets were donated to East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Trust, which runs Colchester Hospital, by the Alzheimer's Society.
The new therapy pets are used to calm patients and reduce feelings of loneliness or anxiety.
They can blink and move their head and ears while letting people stroke and brush them.
One severely agitated patient was comforted after a robotic dog was taken to meet her at Colchester Hospital.
Head of patient experience Tammy Shepherd said: “The patient was talking about missing her dog at home and I asked her if she had a photograph on her phone, but that didn’t work.
“After agreeing with the nurse in charge, I brought the dog to the ward and asked the patient if she could look after it while she was there.
“It calmed her down. She was caring for it and stroking it and I can’t tell you how emotional it was to see – it made me cry and it’s one of the best moments of my career.
“I was shocked, but also relieved, that something so basic changed the entire experience for the patient. It was a beautiful moment.”
The Alzheimer's Society says using robotic pets can improve mood and may bring back memories for people with dementia.
A spokesperson said: "At Alzheimer’s Society, we understand how important connection and companionship are to the quality of life for people with dementia.
"Our range of lifelike companion pets – including dogs, cats and birds - are engineered to bring comfort and emotional support.
"With a variety of breeds available, you can even choose a companion that resembles a childhood or recent pet, evoking feelings of familiarity and nostalgia."
Dementia covers a range of symptoms which can affect memory, problem-solving, language and behaviour.
The illness is progressive, which means symptoms may be relatively mild at first, but get worse over time.
There are many types of dementia but Alzheimer’s disease is the most common.
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