Life with a spinal cord injury (SCI) often comes with day-to-day physical and emotional challenges. Service animals, for a range of conditions and disabilities, can help to alleviate any potential struggles, providing both practical aid and emotional support.
In this article, we explore what service animals are, when you should consider getting one, and how they can assist people with SCI.
We’ll also share how Aspire Law can be involved in your journey with rehabilitation and the steps we can take to help you regain your independence.
What are service animals?
Service animals are an integral part of many people’s lives when experiencing a disability.
They enhance the day-to-day living of people with spinal cord injuries, being specially trained to assist these individuals by performing daily tasks that can help improve their independence and quality of life.
Dogs tend to be the most common type of animal among service animals, as they are intelligent and easy to train. However, other species including cats, birds and even monkeys are increasingly being used to help those who need it.
Should I get a service animal?
Service animals provide more than physical assistance; they can restore hope to individuals living with SCI, help them regain their independence and enable them to maintain a fulfilling life.
Their impact goes beyond performing daily tasks, they truly enable people with SCI to improve their emotional well-being and can even give them a renewed sense of purpose. Organisations that provide service animal programmes are invaluable for transforming so many lives for the better.
How service animals assist people with SCI
There are many ways in which a service animal can transform your life. Below we detail how they can offer you support.
Assistance with mobility
Service animals can assist in many aspects of an individual’s day-to-day living. For example, retrieving items, opening doors and helping with movement can be transformative for someone with SCI to regain their independence and improve upon their physical and mental well-being.
Service animals can fetch objects like phones, keys, or television remotes, open doors by pushing buttons or using special attachments and even pull lightweight wheelchairs along when this is needed.
Importantly, service animals can also provide support for an individual’s stability. For those with SCI who can walk but need assistance with balance assistance, service animals can act as stabilisers, encouraging rehabilitation as you can begin to regain your mobility.
Support for daily living
There are a range of daily living tasks that we can take for granted when facing a change such as a spinal cord injury.
The acts of turning your lights on or off, loading your dirty clothes into your washing machine or carrying your shopping home completely switch when you have SCI and there are many adjustments you will need to make.
Service animals can help you with all of these daily tasks. They can use switches to assist with turning your lights on and off, load and unload your washing machine and even carry small bags when you need them.
Emergency response
Although this prospect can be distressing, it’s crucial to know how you would respond in an emergency, if one did ever arise.
Service animals are brilliant for alerting others, including caregivers or an emergency services team in case of a fall or other medical crisis.
During this time, service animals will also stay close to you, providing comfort and offering reassurance until help arrives.
Emotional and psychological support
Having a service animal, similar to having a pet, can be life-changing, especially in relation to your mental and psychological well-being. Service animals can reduce the effects of anxiety and depression by reducing feelings of isolation and stress.
They can also encourage social interaction. As service animals, and dogs in particular, require daily exercise, they can uplift you to go outside, socialise with your friends and even make new ones!
Medical alerts and monitoring
According to Spinal Cord, service animals can even help you avoid medical emergencies. Some service animals can be trained to recognise the signs of seizures, panic attacks, or heart attacks, altering you to any changes and encouraging you to call for help.
Service animal training
These animals are highly trained to handle complex tasks and remain calm when they’re working, especially in public settings.
This training typically lasts 1-2 years, with reputable service animal organisations following strict protocols to ensure their animals can support you across multiple day-to-day challenges.
Rehabilitation with Aspire Law
Aspire Law is by your side throughout your journey with your spinal cord injury. Our main focus is the legal aspect of your injury, aiming to secure a compensation package for you that will enable you to maintain your quality of life and cover care and rehabilitation costs, housing needs and more.
Get in touch with us today to discover more about our services.
