It has long been understood how important animals are in our lives as humans. They bring us help, companionship, love, and so much more. While this is true for pets and other kinds of animals, it must be acknowledged that service animals take this to another level. For individuals with disabilities, having a service animal can make a huge difference in their everyday lives. They can be a source of safety, routine, love, companionship, and so much more, depending on the purpose they are serving in an individual’s life. If you are curious about how one of these remarkable beings could help you or a loved one, here are some service animal benefits and how they enrich the lives of individuals with disabilities—
Enhanced Independence
For many individuals with disabilities, reaching personal independence is a goal. One of the benefits of having a service animal by your side is that they can greatly help you in that journey. For folks with visual impairments, having a service animal that acts as your eyes allows you to navigate the world with confidence and without the need for another with you constantly. If you have trouble with mobility, service animals can help you get to where you need to be,
open doors for you, bring objects to you, and so much more. For those with more internal disabilities such as POTS, your medical alert animal can help you go about your day safely and without the fear of an unexpected episode. Regardless of your needs, having an animal companion trained to aid you specifically can tremendously enhance your everyday independence, allowing you to not only navigate the world on your own, but in many cases, also live independently without the need of a caregiver.
Increased Safety
One of the challenges many individuals with disabilities face is how dangerous the world can be for them when out on their own, whether they face dangers from medical episodes, the potential of falling due to mobility issues, or missing important indicators out in public due to visual or auditory impairment. Having a service animal by your side can eliminate these fears and allow you to relax and enjoy your everyday life and tasks. Service animals are not only specially trained but also highly skilled in their duties, taking the responsibility of keeping you safe out in the world and in your home. They can alert you to things you would not have seen or heard coming, warn you of an upcoming episode, keep you from falling or tripping, and so much more. Having a service animal means that you no longer have to let fear dictate your daily activities.
Incorporating Routine and Responsibility
Another important benefit of having a service animal companion is that they can bring structure and responsibility into your life, helping you incorporate these in things into taking care of yourself and all your other needs. Though service animals are there to help you, they still need to be taken care of just like any other animal. They need exercise, love, food, and interaction, and as their handler, it is very important that you provide these things for them. Having the routine of taking care of them can implement a sense of routine and stability in your life, which can transfer over into how you care for yourself. This kind of routine can also greatly enhance your life.
Companionship and Social Engagement
Having a service animal is a wonderful way for individuals with disabilities to find companionship and boost their social engagement in many aspects of life. Your service animal is there not only for your physical support but also for your
emotional wellbeing. Many people with disabilities deal with feelings of isolation, depression, and other mental health concerns, and having a service animal byyour side has been proven to help with these tremendously. In social situations, service animals can also act as icebreakers, inviting positive attention and curiosity from others that can lead to connections. Having a service animal with you can be a huge help in building your community and enhancing your social engagement.
The scope of benefits that service animals provide for individuals with disabilities is broad and getting broader. Where service animals were once thought of only as an aid to the visually impaired, they are now known to be extremely helpful for individuals with all kinds of disabilities. Whether you are in need of a medical alert animal, psychiatric service animal, or any other kind of aid, there is a service animal program to help you. If you are curious about the different types of service animals or are ready for one to join you in your journey, take a look at our resources page where you will find a number of tabs on different kinds of service animals.