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AUGUST 2019 I ATLANTASENIORLIFE.COM 9 but if older adults struggle with dementia or anxiety — or have difficulty remembering to tend to a pet’s needs — maybe a Lucy the Lapdog can help. Lucy, a plush, weighted blanket shaped like a dog with satin ears and embroidered paws, provides “comfort without confusion,” according to her originators. Two sisters from Cumming, Ga. created her. Initially, Lucy’s role was help children with special needs. Christy Bennett — an occupational therapist for 20 years — was looking to support children who needed help with sensory processing (a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses). “Once we had our prototype,” Bennett said, “I wanted to show her to my husband’s grandmother who was visiting. And immediately, the family noticed how calm and content grandma became while holding Lucy. “That’s when I realized we had something special,” Bennett said. “Lucy could be a [calming] sensory tool for many people, not just children.” According to Bennett, one visit to a memory care center answered that question. “When residents held Lucy, they would begin to talk about dogs that were special to them from their past,” Bennett said. Those with dementia (Alzheimer’s or other conditions associated with memory loss) often experience anxiety due to confusion over a number of things. The calming sensory input that Lucy the Lapdog provides “evokes a flood of positive emotions associated with caring for a pet,” Bennett explained. Although she doesn’t bark or purr, Lucy can be a win-win for dementia, hospice and palliative care patients who find holding a pet comforting but can no longer care for one. STATE LAWS DEFINING THERAPY ANIMALS NOT COVERED BY ADA RULES ■ Georgia law states that disabled individuals “are entitled to full and equal accommodations” on all public conveyances and forms of transport and public places, “subject only to the conditions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to all persons,” according to Atlanta Pet Life’s website. Also, disabled persons cannot be charged more because they have a guide or service dog. ■ Georgia establishments may ask a disabled person what task their service animal is trained to do for them, but not what disability the person has or to provide proof of the animal’s training or a doctor’s note about their disability. ■ Therapy and emotional support dogs do not have the same level of access as service dogs to places where pets are not permitted in Georgia. For more details and expanded info, visit AnimalLawSource.org. Look Around - Then Come See The Differences www.SterlingEstates.com Voted 2019 Best Retirement Community & Assisted Living Community in Cobb County Beautifully Designed Neighborhoods on 10+ and 30+Acres Cottages and Apartments, Independent or Assisted Robust Social & Residential Activities Large Wellness Centers Indoor Heated Saltwater Therapeutic Pools Variety of Fine Dining Options - Taste of East Cobb Winner 2019,2018,2016 Cottage Floor Plans: All on One Level The Grande Memory Care Now Open in West Cobb EAST COBB 4200 Lower Roswell Rd Marietta, GA 30068 678-946-4454 WEST COBB 3165 Dallas Hwy Marietta, GA 30064 770-255-7000