When a diagnosis of dementia is given, all too often well-meaning family and friends feel that one’s animal companions become too difficult to care for and feed. Yet, these animal companions provide tremendous benefits to their human, including much needed love and acceptance.
The Forget-Me-Not Animal Companion Food Bank (“Food Bank”) has been created to assist the person with dementia and their animal companion to stay together in the home.
Benefits of animal companions for the person with dementia include:
- Improve self-esteem
- Increase quality of life
- Encourage independence
- Love and companionship when friends & family no longer visit as often
- Acceptance of the person with the disease
- Decrease agitation, depression & loneliness
Features of the Food Bank include:
- Food will be delivered to the residence of the person with dementia
- Deliveries will take place twice a month
- Volunteers delivering food will receive a one-hour training on dementia
- There is no age minimum for the person with the dementia diagnosis
- Food will be available for multiple species including dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits.
Applications for Services & Volunteers
The registration for animal companions will open in January, as will applications for volunteer delivery drivers.
Amazon Wish List
We have created an Amazon Wish List containing food and supplies for the food bank. Please note that we are not sponsored by any food manufacturers or organizations. The items on the wish list were selected in terms of best meeting the various needs of animal companions. Please click the following link to access the wish list: Forget-Me-Not Animal Companion Food Bank Wish List
Donations
If you wish to make a monetary donation to the food bank, please click the blue “Donate” button in the upper right-hand corner of our website. You can select “Animal Companion Food Bank” on the donation form. All donations designed for the food bank will go towards the purchase of food and supplies. We thank you in advance for recognizing and supporting the relationships of those with dementia and their animal companions.